Make Downtown More Welcoming and Active: Enhancing Safety and Public Spaces
Advancing strategies that improve everyday safety, presence, and comfort, including public realm investments and activation.
Who is this listening session for? This session is for leaders from arts and cultural organizations, public safety and crisis response partners, event producers, and placemaking advocates. We want to hear your thoughts about advancing strategies that improve everyday safety, presence, and comfort so that residents and visitors feel a shared sense of ownership and belonging.
Strategy Examples: Establishing neighborhood safety centers and expanding community safety ambassadors. Launching a downtown lighting grant program to improve the public realm. Exploring major activation strategies like seasonal campaigns, a festival and events fund, and supporting programs like "No Vacancy" and tactical "Gather PDX" activations to ensure downtown remains a vibrant cultural center.