We value
a strong sense of connection in our communities.
Building trust and relationships leads to a better
quality of life. We value our local and small-scale
political, social, economic and cultural environments.
Our varied neighborhoods make Portland a special
place.
We value
that Portland is different from the rest of the
country and we seek to preserve and protect the
qualities that make us unique.
We value
public spaces where neighbors can interact,
including parks, community centers, farmers markets,
community gardens, neighborhood schools and more.
We value the vibrancy created by interacting with
other people.
We value
civic awareness and involvement, volunteerism, and
local decision-making. We support a community-based
decision-making structure.
We love
that Portland offers many big-city amenities, but
has kept its small-town feel. We like the friendliness,
approachability and “easy going” attitude of Portlanders.
We value
the right of every person to have access to opportunities
for meeting basic needs and improving health and
well-being. We believe that all residents should
be able to use our systems to access jobs, services,
housing, education, transportation options and passive
and active recreation without physical, social or
economic barriers.
We believe
in innovative approaches to creating economic opportunity
beyond addressing basic needs.
We value
the ability of all Portlanders, regardless of background,
to find living wage employment.
We value
sufficient employment opportunities to keep talented
people in Portland and to provide meaningful work.
We believe
that the benefits and burdens of growth and change
should be shared fairly among our communities, and
all residents and groups should be fully involved
as equal partners in public decision-making.
We value
taking responsibility for actions that will affect
our long-term future. Sustainability means meeting
the environmental, social, cultural and economic
needs of the present while ensuring the similar
needs of future generations. Sustainability indicates
care and respect for the ecosystem as well as for
the people within it.
Environmental Sustainability:
We value our natural environment, and recognize
that the actions of individuals, communities,
government and businesses can impact our environment,
both locally and globally. We value innovation
to creatively address environmental challenges,
and we prioritize the natural environment in policies
and decisions.
Social Sustainability:
We value social and cultural interaction among
diverse members of our community, and put a priority
on social capital and learning from one another.
Social sustainability means that we consider how
the choices we make affect other people in our
community now and in the future.
Cultural Sustainability:
We realize that our region has
been populated for thousands of years, and we
recognize and appreciate these original inhabitants
and their work to protect this place for future
generations. We also work to preserve the recent
history of our people and this place to help tell
the full story of our community.
Economic Sustainability:
We believe that working towards
sustainability does not have to harm the economy
but gives us a competitive advantage. We value
systems that enable businesses to support themselves
and their employees while embodying the community’s
values. We support our local businesses to ensure
that our community’s distinctiveness will continue
to flourish.
These were also strongly
expressed values.
We value transparent and fair processes. We value
decision-makers with integrity who are connected
to the community and consider the common good when
making choices. We value leaders who inspire others
to act towards a common goal.
We value fostering respect for and promoting interaction
among all individuals in our community, regardless
of race, ethnicity, sex, gender or gender identity,
sexual orientation, belief system, political ideology,
ability, socioeconomic status, educational status,
veteran status, place of origin, language spoken,
age or geography. By doing this, we will have richer
relationships and make better decisions for our
future.
We value imagination and original thinking to introduce
and test new ideas, products and services that benefit
the community. We believe that many solutions can
be found to seemingly intractable problems through
collective and creative problem-solving.
We value communities that are safe, crime-free and
work in partnership with public safety efforts.
We value a caring community that seeks to support
those in need of help or assistance. We prepare
for emergencies and support development and maintenance
of infrastructure – sidewalks, roads, bike paths,
sewer and water lines, power lines, urban tree canopy,
etc. – that will support safe and healthy communities.
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