Tracking our progress
Our Mission
Downtown Portland Clean & Safe provides enhanced services to make downtown the cleanest, safest, most livable district—serving as stewards of property owner and manager investments within our 273-block central city.
Our Vision
Urgently re-activate downtown as a thriving 24/7 neighborhood where families, employers, and employees increasingly choose to live, work, play, and connect—supported by services that make our district clean, safe, diverse, and vibrant.
Our Values
- Action-Oriented: We don’t just talk, we do—rolling up our sleeves every day to make downtown better.
- Community-First: Everything we do serves the people who live, work, and visit downtown.
- Transparent: We’re honest about challenges and clear about solutions.
- Partnership-Driven: We succeed together with city partners, businesses, and community organizations.
- Accountable: We deliver measurable results through professional operations and responsible stewardship of district investments.
Who We Serve
We serve the ratepayers of the 273-block enhanced service district, represented by a board of directors that comprises a vast preponderance of the district’s license fees. Our community includes property owners and managers, businesses, residents, workers, and visitors who experience downtown every day.
Strategic Plan 2023-2026
Urgently Re-Activate Downtown
(Downtown is the 273-block Enhanced Service District)
Urgent re-activation of Downtown as a thriving, 24/7 neighborhood where families, employers, and employees, can increasingly choose to live, work, play, and connect by providing direct services to make downtown clean, safe, diverse, and vibrant.
Strengthen Direct Services & Operational Excellence
- Set annual goals to improve sentiments on downtown through the business census and survey such as feelings of cleanliness, safety, and services provided by the district, and concurrently.
- Develop a three-year tactical plan, synced to the five-year contract renewal date, to align resources and create operational efficiencies to strengthen direct services to improve sentiments.
Drive Systemic Change Through Advocacy Partnership
- Increase investment in systemic change through collaboration with Portland Metro Chamber advocacy efforts by:
- Working with advocacy team to hold the city accountable for basic services as outlined in the city’s commitment to maintenance.
- Working with advocacy team to advance annual policy objectives as determined by the board and staff.
- Working with advocacy team to inform public policies, investments, and execution that provide for a well maintained, safe, and diverse downtown.
- Working with advocacy team to hold the city accountable for basic services as outlined in the city’s commitment to maintenance.
Reactivate Downtown Through Programming & Placemaking
- Reactivating downtown through programming and place-making activities such as:
- Expanding the Pop-Up Shop program while prioritizing diverse businesses.
- Attracting ground floor retail and other street level programming through partnerships with My People’s Market, Friends of Green Loop and others.
- Work with partners to rebuild Central City Coalition and aligning with sister enhanced service districts.
- Explore district expansion.
- Expanding the Pop-Up Shop program while prioritizing diverse businesses.
Increase Community Engagement & Education
- Increase and formalize community engagement and education by establishing goals for communications channels and stakeholder education that aligns with direct services.
Enhance Board Governance & Culture
- Enhance board of director’s positive and productive culture through board development by:
- Revising Codes of Conduct and developing behavior expectations.
- Establish committees to increase involvement such as:
- Community Engagement Committee
- Expansion Committee or Task Force
- Other sector specific committees such as but not limited to small business and downtown residents
Our Partnership
The Portland Business Alliance is an affiliation of three highly synergist corporate entities; Downtown Portland Clean & Safe (DPCS); the Portland Metro Chamber and the Charitable Institute, that share a collective mission, vision and values.
Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is a independent 501c3 direct-service organization that contracts with the City of Portland to provide enhanced services to the 273-block district. DPCS contracts with the Portland Metro Chamber to deliver on a scope of work. Our strategic plan services the mission of DPCS, as well as the shared mission, vision, and values of the Alliance.
