City Endorsements
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In the November 2024 general election, the Revitalize Portland Coalition is endorsing the candidates listed below for Portland City Council. The Coalition’s endorsements are the result of a deliberate process intended to identify thoughtful, pragmatic, and collaborative candidates by better understanding their qualifications and policy positions. Over the last several months, the Revitalize Portland Candidate Committee vetted, interviewed, and recommended endorsements to the RPC Board of Directors for approval. The committee and our board believe any of these candidates would be a strong choice for voters.
Mayor
Rene Gonzalez
The Revitalize Portland Coalition is proud to endorse Rene Gonzalez for Mayor of Portland. After careful consideration and consultation with our members, we believe Rene Gonzalez possesses the vision, leadership, and commitment necessary to address the complex challenges facing Portland.
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As a leader with a proven track record of bold decision-making and community engagement, Rene Gonzalez has demonstrated a deep understanding of the critical issues that impact our city. From addressing public safety concerns and supporting small businesses to investing in affordable housing and promoting livable, vibrant neighborhoods, Rene’s platform reflects the priorities that matter most to our coalition and the people of Portland.
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Terrence Hayes
Terrence is a pragmatic candidate focused on revitalizing the city into a clean, safe, and affordable community, with a commitment to supporting small businesses and entrepreneurship. His unique experiences with incarceration, family struggles with addiction, and involvement with advisory committees have shaped his vision, particularly in addressing commercial real estate, housing, and homelessness issues. Terrence is poised to bring effective, actionable solutions to the city's most pressing challenges, making him a strong contender for council district 1.
Loretta Smith
Loretta Smith, a former elected official with extensive experience, is prioritizing public safety, workforce development, homelessness, and infrastructure. She advocates for increased police staffing, improved community relations, and better training, alongside emphasizing job training and apprenticeship programs. Smith's housing solutions include creating a land bank, incentivizing housing development, and building diverse housing options.
Mariah Hudson
Mariah Hudson, a dedicated working parent and leader in communications at OHSU, is running for city council to address critical issues facing Portland, including safety, affordability, and housing. With a background in community advocacy and policy reform, Hudson has a proven track record of working across party lines to effect change. She is committed to revitalizing downtown, improving public safety, and streamlining housing development processes to create a thriving and inclusive city.
Tiffani Penson
Tiffani Penson brings extensive community and government leadership experience to the table in District 2. Known for her energetic leadership and independence, Penson is a strong advocate for often-overlooked constituencies like service workers. She emphasizes the need to address unsafe conditions, tackle homelessness, and support small businesses. She is committed to creating an accessible budget that aligns with the city's priorities and revitalizing downtown to foster a thriving community.
Dan Ryan
Dan has been a reliable and accessible advocate for the Revitalize Portland Coalition as a member of the current City Council. With experience leading the permitting reform process and a commitment to ensuring homelessness and emergency housing funds are used appropriately, he aims to bring level-headed leadership and bold accountability to the city council. Dan is focused on driving necessary changes and improvements in city policies, emphasizing the importance of stakeholder input and using data for continuous improvement.
Daniel DeMelo
Daniel DeMelo is an engineer and community organizer with leadership experience on various commissions. He advocates for private market-rate development and calls for better accountability in the use of public funds to address homelessness. DeMelo's proposals include offering incentives for city center development, reducing floor area ratios, and streamlining permitting processes. He sets himself apart from “housing first” approaches due to concerns about insurance costs associated with housing people with severe mental illness and addiction. With ambitious goals to shelter 50% of the homeless population within two years and 33% within three years, DeMelo emphasizes cost-effectiveness and safety. He also stresses the need to reduce shelter costs per bed and focus on reserving sites for the chronically homeless, while improving communication between the city and the business community. His approach centers on data-driven, accountable strategies for housing and homelessness solutions.
Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a compelling candidate for public office, bringing valuable experience as a police advisor to Commissioner Rene Gonzalez and a strong alignment with critical community issues. His work in public safety policy and journalism—featured in publications like *Business Insider*, *The National Interest*, and *RealClear Defense*—demonstrates his commitment to transparency, accountability, and free expression. Kass’s passion for Portland fuels his dedication to creating a city where everyone can thrive. As a young, first-time candidate, he offers fresh insights and a deep commitment to making a meaningful impact for all residents.
Steve Novick
Steve Novick is an experienced and policy-savvy leader with strong business connections, focused on addressing the city's housing crisis. He advocates for solutions such as building tiny houses and increasing housing development, particularly middle and market-rate housing. Novick has also highlighted the role of police in addressing addiction among the chronically unhoused and supports the use of deflection centers. He raises important concerns about city spending, homelessness solutions, and crime rates. Additionally, he emphasizes the need to resolve regulatory issues with the Bureau of Development Services (BDS) to facilitate more efficient housing development.
Ben Hufford
Ben Hufford, an architect and restaurant owner, is known for his practical, non-political approach to addressing Portland's housing and homelessness issues. He supports creating safe, clean shelters for the homeless while enforcing public camping laws and offering clear paths to mental health and addiction treatment. Hufford advocates for police investment with social service integration, civilian oversight, and policy revisions to meet Portland’s public safety needs. He calls for improved collaboration between local governments with measurable, transparent results. Focused on affordable housing, Hufford highlights the high costs of permitted housing in Portland, noting that excessive fees hinder development. His test project for 50 micro units showed the need for fee reductions to address the housing shortage. He also supports spreading donations across multiple candidates and emphasizes collaboration and networking among community leaders for shared success.
Stan Penkin
Stan Penkin, former President of the Pearl District Neighborhood Association, is a savvy and pragmatic leader known for building relationships and coalitions with ease. A close ally of RPC and a confidant of Erik, he is aligned with key issues like homelessness, crime, safety, and effective government. Penkin is an active member of the steering committee for the new Homelessness Coalition and is often compared to Dan Ryan for his business-friendly, solutions-oriented approach. A strong advocate for public safety, he emphasizes the importance of open dialogue with police. While critical of the housing-first model and regulations like inclusionary zoning, he recognizes the housing crisis and has even declined support for energy reporting, despite being a climate advocate. Penkin has garnered endorsements from a wide range of supporters.
Eric Zimmerman
Eric Zimmerman stands out as one of the most impressive non-incumbent candidates. A member of both the veteran and LGBT communities, he offers insightful responses on housing and public safety, advocating for increased housing supply and reduced regulation. Zimmerman critiques the Housing First model and supports a monitored shelter approach for individuals with mental health issues, drawing from his experience with Central City Concern to address insurance challenges. His campaign includes proposals to expedite permitting, increase building height limits, and implement permit reviews. Well-connected in local politics, Zimmerman has previously worked with Mayor Wheeler and Mayor Adams and is endorsed by Rene Gonzalez and Carmen Rubio. He has deep roots in Portland, a commitment to crisis management, and has made personal sacrifices to tackle the city’s challenges.
Eli Arnold
Eli Arnold, a Bike Squad officer who works directly in the downtown area, brings firsthand experience of the city’s condition to his strong campaign. Active in the RPC Crime Committee, he is thoughtful on the issues he knows and open to learning about those he doesn’t. Young and energetic, Arnold is attuned to both community attitudes and law enforcement needs. His campaign focuses on addressing homelessness, expanding police and emergency communication services, and enhancing fiscal accountability to ensure efficient use of city funds. He supports creating designated camping areas for homeless individuals and advocates for increased staffing in public safety organizations. With a clear understanding that the housing-first model isn't working, Arnold offers thoughtful housing policy ideas and is committed to improving public safety and addressing drug addiction issues.
Olivia Clark
Olivia Clark advocates for boosting law enforcement, reactivating downtown, and merging Multnomah County with Portland to improve city-county alignment on budget issues and public safety coordination. She supports securing more federal funding for low-income housing and has emphasized the need for strong leadership and collaboration as the council transitions to new roles. Olivia has proposed regular reviews of regulations to support businesses and highlighted her campaign focus on enforcement and permitting improvements. With experience in public affairs and alignment with RPC’s goals, she priortizes a return to safe, walkable neighborhoods and advocates for stricter street camping enforcement. A champion for responsive and common sense government, she has the experience to advocate for Portland and our downtown at the county and state levels.
Tony Morse
Tony Morse emphasizes the importance of involving law enforcement in planning and providing incentives for individuals to enter recovery, while advocating for an increase in police officers. Reflecting on his bipartisan efforts in passing a fentanyl education bill, Morse showcases his ability to unite people across party lines. He supports the business community’s engagement with the city, the council’s oversight responsibilities under the new government structure, and addressing regulatory challenges faced by businesses. Sharing his personal background, including his recovery journey and involvement in addiction and public health issues, Tony positions himself as the recovery champion in City Hall. He advocates for a coordinated deflection framework to tackle the addiction crisis and suggests braiding funding from various stakeholders to achieve shared goals. Committed to working with the Multnomah County sheriff and corrections to find solutions, Tony also plans to address budget concerns related to jail services. Drawing on his experience with the Fentanyl Education Bill in Salem, he has developed strategies to overcome political opposition and has secured endorsements from 17 unions, pledging to build bridges between labor and business.
Bob Weinstein
Bob Weinstein's experience with running a local government and his thoughtful approach to municipal finances and accountability make him an excellent candidate. Bob says "my number one priority is focusing spending on critical concerns that matter to Portland residents. We need to make sure every tax dollar we spend will help improve the lives of Portland families." He prioritizes speeding up the development permitting process and supports ending regulations that hinder housing supply. He's one of the few candidates openly addressing the city's financial future, considering our low-growth reality. With prior experience in elected office in Alaska, Weinstein's priorities include improving public safety, addressing homelessness, enhancing livability and economic development, supporting seniors and school funding, and curbing public drug use. He advocates for fiscal responsibility and proposes a moratorium on new taxes.