Candace Avalos

Economy

Small businesses are crucial threads in the fabric of our community. They foster innovation, create jobs, and enrich our neighborhoods with unique character. These businesses can be an essential economic entry point for immigrants or other new residents, and I would support creating financial services and mentorship programs to help them thrive. Supporting small businesses promotes economic justice, provides opportunities for entrepreneurship, and helps build a more inclusive and sustainable local economy. Learn more

Environment / Energy

East Portland has struggled for far too long with a lack of tree canopy, heat waves, poor air quality, and more. We need to make sure we use our land and our resources to combat climate change — not exacerbate it. And East Portlanders need to be a part of the solution. Environmentally vulnerable frontline communities need to have front row leadership in decision making about our future — that’s environmental justice. Learn more

Portland has set a goal to be carbon-neutral by 2050, and heating and cooling buildings are one of the top contributors of climate change. At the same time, people are dying in heat waves, ice storms and other extreme weather events more than ever before. We need green heating and cooling infrastructure that keeps our neighbors safe in an increasingly severe climate — while creating opportunities for the renewable-energy transition we need. Learn more

Housing

Homeownership is increasingly out of reach for more and more Portlanders, especially people of color and East Portland residents. We need to build all models of homeownership, from regulated affordable ownership homes, to shared equity models like community land trusts, to efficiently built market-rate homes. We need to replicate successful programs from other places. And we need to support these efforts with new funding sources at the local, state, and federal level, building on decades of advocacy by experts. Learn more

As our city continues to grow and develop we need to ensure strong anti-displacement policies are in place. I would direct the City to fully fund rental assistance and continue to ensure renters have safeguards like eviction protection and relocation assistance. In addition, both renters and landlords benefit when educated on rental laws and protections. We must fully fund the Rental Services Office to publicize landlord-tenant laws and to provide resources and guidance to both landlords and tenants. Learn more

The City of Portland maintains a registry of all the rental housing units in Portland. Currently, the only information available is the address, how long it’s been rented, and if it is regulated affordable housing. Disability justice advocates have been asking the City for years to track accessible units. We need to track accessible units in our registry so that people with disabilities can be better able to find housing that meets their needs. Learn more

Infrastructure / Transportation

Decades of neglect and disinvestment have left East Portland with poor transit service, making trips by bus or train long, difficult, or infeasible. I would push TriMet to invest in more frequent buses and dignified stations so people don’t have to wait for a long time without shade, seating, or protection from cars. We also need more north-south connections so people can get where they need to go. And, we need to fully fund transit for our youth, who rely on it to get to school, to jobs, and back home safely. Learn more

East Portland’s streets stretch for miles without a single sidewalk in sight. Where sidewalks do exist, they are often narrow, cracked, and treacherous for those navigating them in wheelchairs, carrying groceries, or struggling to keep their balance. This unacceptable neglect must end. We must ensure that every resident can make safe, easy trips by walking or rolling, transforming our streets into accessible, welcoming pathways for all. Learn more

More than two-thirds of the people who died on Portland streets in recent years were killed east of 82nd Avenue, and 28 of the 30 highest-crash intersections are located in East Portland. This is unacceptable. We must aggressively fund projects that increase safety for all types of transportation, especially for bikers and pedestrians. We need to lean into Vision Zero status with more lighting, better crosswalks and ramps, barriers to protect bikers, and marked bus only lanes. The rate of injury and death decreases drastically as driving speeds decrease. We need to redesign our streets to reduce the speed at which people drive through our neighborhoods. East Portland deserves safe streets for our children walking to school, our elders getting groceries, and everyone in between. Learn more

Social Services

I will advocate for prevention opportunities and youth programs, addressing substance abuse and mental health, and empowering community safety initiatives through collaborative planning. Serving on the Substance Use Subcommittee of the Portland Central City Taskforce, I’ve seen the critical need for comprehensive support services. I would advocate for increased funding for mental health and substance abuse treatment, as well as social service workers, ensuring accessible and integrated support systems for those in need. Learn more

Wages / Job Benefits

The city must safeguard the right of workers to organize unions. We must also incentivize local unions to expand apprenticeship programs and trade schools, creating more opportunities for people to benefit from well-paying jobs — especially East Portlanders, people of color, and youth. I would fight to stop the City’s procurement practice of contracting out public work to non-union companies to save costs. This undermines our commitment to organized labor and fuels a race to the bottom. Learn more