Learning from Portland’s Regional Governance Model

A Bay Area Council delegation of business and government leaders traveled to Portland, Ore., this week to see what we can learn about that region’s approach to housing, homelessness, transportation and regional governance, among other issues. Led by Executive Committee members Chris Rivielle of Plant Construction and Mary Huss of the San Francisco Business Times and Silicon Valley Business Journal, Council CEO Jim Wunderman and  Joint Venture Silicon Valley CEO Russ Hancock, the group met with Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and leaders of regional government agency Metro, the Portland Business Alliance and Prosper Portland.

Mayor Wheeler stressed the need for partnership across the West Coast as the Bay Area, Portland and Seattle confront similar challenges in housing affordability, homelessness and traffic. Additionally, the group toured Portland’s exciting Broadway Corridor Project, a major new development on 32 acres in the heart of the city. The Council will bring the lessons it learns from Portland back to the Bay Area to help inform our own work to grow regional collaboration across the Bay Area. The Council extends its appreciation to Alaska Airlines for serving as lead sponsor. The Portland trip is one of a continuing series that the Council is organizing to learn how other regions around the country are addressing similar challenges as those we experience here.