Multnomah County adopts resolution to pursue community-led redevelopment of Walnut Park site on MLK Boulevard

The Multnomah County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously Thursday to adopt a resolution recognizing the historical significance of Walnut Park and supporting a community-based approach to redeveloping the county-owned site on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Killingsworth and Alberta.

The resolution, introduced by Chair Jessica Vega Peterson and carried by Commissioner Singleton, directs county staff to return July 24 with a proposed request for proposal (RFP) process to solicit redevelopment proposals. County staff and community presenters said the next phases would include a competitive solicitation, proposal development through late 2025 and into 2026, and any future board actions required for major project steps such as land transfers or funding approvals.

Why it matters: Walnut Park was described repeatedly as an anchor of Black Portland’s commercial and civic life. Presenters and longtime neighborhood leaders described decades of planning and disinvestment in the Albina neighborhood and framed the resolution as a long-delayed commitment to restorative development that preserves health services while creating economic and wealth-building opportunities for Black and BIPOC residents.

County staff and…