Mayor Dion frames housing, harbor dredge funding and public safety as priorities in State of the City address

Mayor Mark Dion delivered Portland's annual State of the City address to the City Council, highlighting housing-code changes, infrastructure projects and public‑safety challenges while urging the council and the city’s legislative delegation to act on homelessness and police staffing.

Dion outlined recent planning and permitting changes that he said will encourage higher‑density and mixed‑use development, noting the planning department’s seven‑year Recode effort and a redesign of permitting and inspection processes. “With the redesign of our internal process, getting to yes should become more predictable and consistent,” he said.

The mayor cited several housing and development metrics from 2024: 4,500 building permits issued; nearly $400,000 distributed to development initiatives that the administration says will create nearly 300 new affordable rental units, of which nearly 260 units are earmarked for households earning at or below 60% of area median income; and approval of an additional 439 housing units. Dion also asked the council to “reassess the Green New Deal’s inclusionary zone…