Alex Zielinski
@alexzee.bsky.social
Portland city politics reporter, @opb.org
Past lives: CA, DC, TX
📬 azielinski@opb.org
Signal: alex_zee.03
Past lives: CA, DC, TX
📬 azielinski@opb.org
Signal: alex_zee.03
Portland city councilors again punted a months-long debate on how to spend unspent housing dollars. The debate divided the city’s District 1 councilors.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. And that’s exactly what we’re doing," said Councilor Smith.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. And that’s exactly what we’re doing," said Councilor Smith.
Portland councilors again delay decision on unspent housing dollars
A majority of the councilors said they needed more information on the newly identified pots of cash, each with its own rules on spending, rather than rushing the decision.
www.opb.org
February 19, 2026 at 7:58 PM
Portland city councilors again punted a months-long debate on how to spend unspent housing dollars. The debate divided the city’s District 1 councilors.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. And that’s exactly what we’re doing," said Councilor Smith.
"Justice delayed is justice denied. And that’s exactly what we’re doing," said Councilor Smith.
A reliance on one-time funds to prop up shelter, public safety costs has Portland in deeper budget trouble than anticipated.
Portland is facing a $169 million budget deficit due to shelter and public safety costs
The projected financial shortfall in the coming fiscal year reflects the city’s reliance on temporary cash.
www.opb.org
February 19, 2026 at 12:43 AM
A reliance on one-time funds to prop up shelter, public safety costs has Portland in deeper budget trouble than anticipated.
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
Portland’s $2.1 billion water filtration project got the go-ahead from a state land use court — another victory for the city in a yearslong legal fight with nearby landowners.
Portland wins land use decision over Bull Run filtration plan
The ruling by the Oregon Land Use Board of Appeals favors Portland's plans to build a plant to filter water from the forested watershed.
www.opb.org
February 14, 2026 at 2:00 AM
Portland’s $2.1 billion water filtration project got the go-ahead from a state land use court — another victory for the city in a yearslong legal fight with nearby landowners.
Coming to Portland next week:
This one's personal. I wrote about how three cities in #Cascadia may soon extend anti-discrimination protections to people in non-monogamous or polyamorous relationships: www.cascadia-journal.com/polyamory-ri...
Polyamory rights bills on the horizon in Olympia, Portland & Seattle💘
Cascadia has always been at the forefront of protecting the rights of individuals to live their sexuality authentically. Seattle was one of the first cities in the US to expand protections for employm...
www.cascadia-journal.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:00 AM
Coming to Portland next week:
Portland isn't changing course on carrying out its land use violation against the ICE building.
Portland upholds land use violation against ICE facility’s landlord
Portland officials will continue to seek penalties against the owner of the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement building for violating a land use agreement.
www.opb.org
February 13, 2026 at 11:43 PM
Portland isn't changing course on carrying out its land use violation against the ICE building.
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
City and state officials have vowed to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland, but to do that they need to raise more than a half a billion dollars to renovate the nearly 30-year-old Moda Center. Portland's mayor has suggested a solution: tapping into the city's climate fund.
Inside Portland’s $1.7B climate fund, which is being floated to help fix the Moda Center
Portland’s billion dollar climate fund is being eyed to help pay for upgrades to the Moda Center, in an effort to keep the Trail Blazers in the city.
www.opb.org
February 11, 2026 at 6:00 PM
City and state officials have vowed to keep the Trail Blazers in Portland, but to do that they need to raise more than a half a billion dollars to renovate the nearly 30-year-old Moda Center. Portland's mayor has suggested a solution: tapping into the city's climate fund.
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
The 17-acre Leach Botanical Garden in far southeast Portland says it will close if it doesn't get more funding soon. The public park is owned by the city, but managed by a nonprofit. The city hasn't provided funding since last year.
www.opb.org/article/2026...
www.opb.org/article/2026...
Nonprofit says Portland’s Leach Botanical Garden will close in March without additional funding
The 17-acre public park in outer southeast Portland is part of a coalition that provides environmental education to Black and brown children and teenagers.
www.opb.org
February 11, 2026 at 12:26 AM
The 17-acre Leach Botanical Garden in far southeast Portland says it will close if it doesn't get more funding soon. The public park is owned by the city, but managed by a nonprofit. The city hasn't provided funding since last year.
www.opb.org/article/2026...
www.opb.org/article/2026...
A sprawling park in outer southeast Portland is on the brink of closure if it doesn’t get more funding soon, according to an online plea posted by the Leach Botanical Garden on Tuesday.
Nonprofit says Portland’s Leach Botanical Garden will close in March without additional funding
The 17-acre public park in outer southeast Portland is part of a coalition that provides environmental education to Black and brown children and teenagers.
www.opb.org
February 11, 2026 at 12:27 AM
A sprawling park in outer southeast Portland is on the brink of closure if it doesn’t get more funding soon, according to an online plea posted by the Leach Botanical Garden on Tuesday.
Petition to carve "This is not a venue for belligerent behavior" in the marble walls of council chambers.
Portland Council President Dunphy has released a draft plan for new council committees/leadership this year. For those who were closely following the council president’s vote, you may be interested to see this is part of the plan:
February 10, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Petition to carve "This is not a venue for belligerent behavior" in the marble walls of council chambers.
Portland Council President Dunphy has released a draft plan for new council committees/leadership this year. For those who were closely following the council president’s vote, you may be interested to see this is part of the plan:
February 10, 2026 at 10:51 PM
Portland Council President Dunphy has released a draft plan for new council committees/leadership this year. For those who were closely following the council president’s vote, you may be interested to see this is part of the plan:
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
This is easily the hardest thing I've ever had to write.
I Had a Dream Journalism Job. Here's Why I Quit.
The rot that hollowed out trust in corporate media finally reached OPB. I had to go.
westernedgemedia.substack.com
February 9, 2026 at 4:58 PM
This is easily the hardest thing I've ever had to write.
The number of candidates for Multnomah County chair has doubled:
Multnomah Commissioner Brim-Edwards joins county chair race
Brim-Edwards is the second commissioner to announce her candidacy for Multnomah County chair. District 2 Commissioner Shannon Singleton announced her run last week.
www.opb.org
February 9, 2026 at 9:23 PM
The number of candidates for Multnomah County chair has doubled:
While we're talking about surprise buckets of city funds: The Portland arts tax has been sitting on roughly $9 million in unallocated dollars for years.
How Portland’s arts tax let $9M go unused for years
As Portlanders gear up to once again pay their arts tax by April 15, even supporters say the voter-approved charge needs an overhaul.
www.opb.org
February 9, 2026 at 4:24 PM
While we're talking about surprise buckets of city funds: The Portland arts tax has been sitting on roughly $9 million in unallocated dollars for years.
What we know for now:
Portland now says roughly $106M in housing funds went unspent
The city continues to struggle to address homelessness and affordable housing, but officials say significant pots of money went untapped.
www.opb.org
February 7, 2026 at 1:10 AM
What we know for now:
City of Portland now reports $106 MILLION total in unbudgeted housing funds. More soon.
February 6, 2026 at 11:23 PM
City of Portland now reports $106 MILLION total in unbudgeted housing funds. More soon.
“The incident was a reminder of their past in Yemen, she said.
The pair moved from Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, shortly after their home was hit by an airstrike in 2014.”
The pair moved from Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, shortly after their home was hit by an airstrike in 2014.”
Tear gas and whizbangs have been a familiar sight for people living near the Portland ICE facility. Recently, a projectile shot through an apartment window across the street, frightening a 70-year-old Yemeni woman inside who called her daughter crying, saying she "couldn't breathe."
Yemeni mother and daughter shaken after apartment window broken by projectile near ICE building
The incident is one of several accounts by neighbors who are upset with tear gas and other munitions being deployed in the neighborhood.
www.opb.org
February 5, 2026 at 3:57 PM
“The incident was a reminder of their past in Yemen, she said.
The pair moved from Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, shortly after their home was hit by an airstrike in 2014.”
The pair moved from Taiz, the country’s third-largest city, shortly after their home was hit by an airstrike in 2014.”
Multnomah County officials expect to have $87 million less to pay for shelters, rent assistance and eviction prevention in the next fiscal year.
(Meanwhile, City of Portland may have $35M+ more?)
(Meanwhile, City of Portland may have $35M+ more?)
Multnomah County faces an $87 million drop in homeless services funding
Jobs could be cut, shelters could lose funding, and rent assistance could shrink as the county faces major homeless services budget reductions.
www.oregonlive.com
February 4, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Multnomah County officials expect to have $87 million less to pay for shelters, rent assistance and eviction prevention in the next fiscal year.
(Meanwhile, City of Portland may have $35M+ more?)
(Meanwhile, City of Portland may have $35M+ more?)
The race for the top spot on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners has begun. (Election day is in Nov.)
Multnomah Commissioner Shannon Singleton enters county chair’s race
Singleton is the first to announce her plans to run for the power seat in Oregon’s most populous county.
www.opb.org
February 4, 2026 at 6:02 PM
The race for the top spot on the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners has begun. (Election day is in Nov.)
Federal officers in Portland have been blocked from directing or using “chemical or projectile munitions,” including pepper balls, tear gas and other crowd control munitions at protesters outside the ICE facility.
Judge limits federal officers’ use of crowd control munitions at Portland ICE building
The decision Tuesday blocks federal officers from directing or using “chemical or projectile munitions,” including pepper balls and tear gas “unless the specific target of such a weapon or device pose...
www.opb.org
February 3, 2026 at 11:35 PM
Federal officers in Portland have been blocked from directing or using “chemical or projectile munitions,” including pepper balls, tear gas and other crowd control munitions at protesters outside the ICE facility.
The news of this surprise cache comes two months after the city revealed roughly $21 million in housing dollars sitting unspent in city coffers.
Portland finds additional $15 million in unspent housing dollars
The Portland Housing Bureau has identified at least $15 million in additional unspent funds that could be spent on affordable housing, rental support, and other housing programs. The news comes months...
www.opb.org
February 3, 2026 at 10:41 PM
The news of this surprise cache comes two months after the city revealed roughly $21 million in housing dollars sitting unspent in city coffers.
Following a nearly 16-month vacancy, the tribal relations department at the City of Portland has been filled.
City of Portland announces Gerald Skelton Jr. as the new tribal government relations manager
The main priority for the position will be to focus on government-to-government relationships with the nine federally recognized Native nations in Oregon.
www.opb.org
February 3, 2026 at 9:43 PM
Following a nearly 16-month vacancy, the tribal relations department at the City of Portland has been filled.
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
Weekend protests in Portland against federal immigration actions were again met with thick clouds of tear gas outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Here's what to know about how the city is reacting to tear gas, ICE’s use of force and other factors tied to the facility.
How Portland is using city policies to try and punish an ICE facility
Local officials are also looking toward a number of bureaucratic sanctions within their control to limit ICE’s actions against protesters.
www.opb.org
February 3, 2026 at 12:07 AM
Weekend protests in Portland against federal immigration actions were again met with thick clouds of tear gas outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office. Here's what to know about how the city is reacting to tear gas, ICE’s use of force and other factors tied to the facility.
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
Council President Jamie Dunphy tells @shanedkavanaugh.bsky.social that Jonas Biery, the city’s chief financial officer, informed him Friday night that PHB had “millions” of additional dollars within a housing investment fund that remained unbudgeted.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...
‘No way to run a city’: Officials learn Portland has millions more in unspent housing funds
The revelation comes months after policymakers learned of a different $21 million in unspent money.
www.oregonlive.com
February 2, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Council President Jamie Dunphy tells @shanedkavanaugh.bsky.social that Jonas Biery, the city’s chief financial officer, informed him Friday night that PHB had “millions” of additional dollars within a housing investment fund that remained unbudgeted.
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...
www.oregonlive.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Alex Zielinski
A large protest, dubbed “Labor Against ICE,” is underway in downtown Portland, with thousands of people gathering at Elizabeth Caruthers Park on Saturday.
Thousands of protesters gather in downtown Portland for ‘Labor Against ICE’ rally
Organizers said it’s not common for so many unions to protest together around one issue.
www.opb.org
February 1, 2026 at 12:38 AM
A large protest, dubbed “Labor Against ICE,” is underway in downtown Portland, with thousands of people gathering at Elizabeth Caruthers Park on Saturday.
“It’s grossly irresponsible,” said Isaac McLennan, president of the Portland Fire Fighters’ Association, the union representing the front-line workers. “There’s no way these cuts could be made without risking public safety”
Portland firefighters union sounds alarm on potential budget cuts
The union representing the city’s firefighters is worried that fewer city dollars could put Portlanders at risk.
www.opb.org
January 31, 2026 at 12:36 AM
“It’s grossly irresponsible,” said Isaac McLennan, president of the Portland Fire Fighters’ Association, the union representing the front-line workers. “There’s no way these cuts could be made without risking public safety”