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Councilor Loretta Smith visits PVNA, points to Prosper Portland funds and safety concerns as barriers to grocery access
Summary
District 1 Councilor Loretta Smith visited the Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Association on Aug. 18 and discussed declining grocery access in Gateway, saying "Prosper Portland has $65 to $68 million left" and citing theft, safety and homelessness as factors driving retailers away.
District 1 Councilor Loretta Smith spoke to the Pleasant Valley Neighborhood Association (PVNA) at its Aug. 18 meeting about neighborhood concerns over shrinking grocery access and depleted municipal resources.
Smith said the city agency Prosper Portland has "$65 to $68 million left" and suggested that funds could be studied for a municipal grocery model similar to one in Chicago. She urged looking at schools as potential distribution points and said a study could identify grocery deserts and entrepreneurs to fill gaps.
Councilor Smith also linked retailer departures from Gateway to safety and security issues. She said theft, lack of safety and homelessness make it difficult for businesses to attract customers and remain profitable. The meeting record notes a comparison of average household incomes: roughly $60,000 in District 1 versus about $90,000 in Districts 2 and 3.
Members asked about mobile medical services; Smith named CHAT, PDX Street Response and Multnomah County clinics and said she would follow up with additional information about street-based medical resources.
The visit was framed as an initial conversation; Councilor Smith emphasized study and coordination with local groups and agencies rather than announcing a specific program or funding commitment.
