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 community presenters laid out the case for redevelopment: the county parcel is just under 2 acres with a roughly 91,000-square-foot building constructed circa 1951. A recent facilities condition assessment identified more than $5 million in repairs needed to bring the existing building to baseline condition. Garrett Pryor, senior policy adviser on infrastructure, said the feasibility work completed in 2022 helped shape development goals.

Community leaders recounted the site’s history and the multiple studies and task forces over decades; Ray Leary, a lifelong Albina resident active in local development work, said of the long-standing conversation, “Simply put, just do something.”

Health department leaders and local community advocates emphasized the site’s role as a trusted hub for services. Rachel Banks, director of the Multnomah County Health Department, said Walnut Park houses programs including WIC, Healthy Birth Initiatives, Meals on Wheels, the Urban League Senior Center and other services, and that the Northeast Health Center has the county’s largest Black patient population among its health centers. Tamia Deary, chair of the community health center board and a patient at the Northeast Health Center, urged the board to include the health center’s board in ongoing planning: “We should have a voice in this project,” she said.

Presenters described development goals identified through community engagement: center Black and BIPOC equity in both construction and operations; create a welcoming, trauma-informed community environment; provide wealth-building and business ownership opportunities; and design the site as a community healing and service center. The county’s feasibility work included 49 interviews with on-site managers, partner nonprofits and BIPOC community organizations, the presenters said.

Next steps and timeline: Commissioners were told the board will review the proposed RFP on July 24. If the board approves, the county plans to run a competitive process and work with the selected team through late 2025 and into 2026 to refine a proposal for future board consideration. Presenters noted that any major project development or land transfer would follow statutory and county procedures.

Board response: Commissioners voiced broad support. Commissioner Singleton called the project a “rare opportunity” to deliver long-promised investment to Black Portland and said she intends to advance an alternative procurement approach intended to support public-private partnerships that are “led by and wholly inclusive of community.” Commissioner Brim Edwards said the county had spent decades studying the site and that “there’s a time for action.” Commissioner Moyer, who represents the district that contains the site, emphasized ensuring the project is community-led and said she would press for robust community engagement throughout the RFP process.

No final funding or land-transfer action was taken today; the resolution is a policy-level direction for the county to pursue an inclusive redevelopment process. County staff said the FY 2026 budget and future board approvals will govern any funding commitments.

Community testimony: Six community members testified in favor during the item’s public comment period, including longtime residents, business owners and health center leaders who urged timely action to preserve services, protect legacy businesses and ensure local wealth-building opportunities.

Ending: The board adopted the resolution unanimously and set a July 24 briefing for the RFP approach. The presentation and the unanimous vote mark the county’s formal, initial commitment to pursue redevelopment of Walnut Park through a community-oriented process.