Latest news with #DowntownPortlandClean&Safe
Yahoo
05-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Downtown Portland businesses report improvements in theft, vandalism in newest survey
PORTLAND, Ore. () — Progress is being made in efforts to revitalize downtown Portland businesses, according to a new survey. The results of the show the majority of businesses polled are more optimistic about the future, thanks to improvements in public safety and cleanliness. Protesters gather in Portland ahead of Trump speech 'Organized crime is having a hard time doing business in downtown and that's exactly what we want,' said Downtown Portland Clean & Safe Executive Director Mark Wells. 'A year ago, you would walk around, it would be very common to see open drug use and open drug dealing. It still exists, for sure, but it's dramatically decreased, and that adds to that sense of safety and security.' The non-profit Downtown Portland Clean & Safe provides 24-hour dispatch and cleaning services. Wells said nearly all 300 participating businesses were satisfied with their safety services. The results of the new survey show businesses experiencing sheft or shoplifting incidents dropped from 47% in 2023 to 30% in 2024. Businesses repairing windows or physical damage decreased from 67% in 2023 to 47% in 2024. In addition, 57% of businesses now feel optimistic about being downtown. However, there are still areas of improvement. While nearly half of businesses reported employees quitting due to safety concerns in 2023 (45.8%), that figure dropped to on-third in 2024 (29.2%). 'We saw about a 17% decrease in those numbers, but a third, you know, that's still too high,' Wells said. 5 arrested after teen pistol-whipped, robbed Wells said Downtown Portland Clean & Safe continues to partner with the city to address top concerns, including the homeless crisis. Hundreds still live in tents downtown and Wells said his crews clean about one ton of trash daily. 'We are still playing 'Whack a Mole.' The city is coming out, posting the camp we have. The city has to follow different legal parameters. The camp can be abated on a Monday, the sidewalk is perfectly clean. We'll come out and do extra cleaning to support that, and then the next day, the campsite is right back,' Wells said. Despite the progress, businesses are still struggling. Only about one in four reported higher revenues in 2024 than the year before. Wells weighed in on what that means for the overall state of revitalization. 'At Clean & Safe, we're optimists. But we're also realists. We need more foot traffic. We need more people coming downtown and shopping and eating and dining than we did pre-pandemic. We're not back there yet.' DPCS said they and community partners will continue efforts to boost the health of downtown Portland businesses by prioritizing investments in economic revitalization, public safety and cleaning initiatives. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Downtown Portland saw ‘encouraging' increase in foot traffic, employee presence in 2024: Report
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Downtown Portland saw an increase in foot traffic and worker presence in 2024 — marking an 'encouraging sign' in the city's appeal and resilience post-pandemic, according to a new report from Downtown Portland Clean & Safe. Since 2009, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe has been tracking foot traffic as part of the organization's mission to encourage vitality of the city's core. According to the latest foot traffic report, released January 21, Downtown Portland is continuing to see 'strong signs of recovery.' Oregon one of the worst states for retirement, WalletHub says Overall, foot traffic saw a 3% increase in 2024 compared to 2023, along with a post-pandemic high of more than 2.4 million visitors in five separate months, the report says. Additionally, foot traffic has increased by 54% compared to downtown's pandemic low in 2021. Downtown Portland Clean & Safe credits the rise in foot traffic, in part, to the return of major events in the city — including the Rockstar Energy Open, which brought thousands of people to Tom McCall Waterfront Park, and concerts at Providence Park — notably, the show, which brought 30,000 attendees downtown, according to the report. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In addition to those events, the report also credits improvements in other key areas that led to increased foot traffic. This includes employee presence, which has risen by 8% in 2024 compared to 2023, the report states, noting Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are 'the most favored days' for employees to be in the district. Additionally, the report highlights the opening of nearly 40 retail businesses and a recovery in tourism bringing more foot traffic to the city's core. An earthquake rattled the Cascadia fault 325 years ago. Here's what we know about the massive quake According to the report, tourism's 'strong recovery,' was especially seen in June and July when demand for downtown Portland rooms grew by more than 10%. In August, room demand increased by more than 17%, with that trend continuing into the fall. 'The return of iconic events like Project Pabst and new attractions like the Rockstar Energy Open and Coraline's Curious Cat Trail, combined with consistent growth in worker traffic and visitor numbers, shows that Portland is reclaiming its status as a premier destination for both culture and commerce,' said Andrew Hoan, president and CEO of the Portland Business Alliance and the Portland Metro Chamber. 'We're seeing a revitalized downtown that's attracting both local workers and tourists, creating an increasingly dynamic city center.' Mark Wells, the executive director of Downtown Portland's Clean & Safe added, 'Downtown Portland continues to show encouraging signs of recovery, with five months reaching the significant milestone of 2.4 million visitors in 2024,' noting, 'The steady increase in overall foot traffic, and particularly the notable uptick in worker presence downtown, demonstrates that our recovery continues to move in the right direction.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
