August 2022

Beginning on August 1st, Downtown Portland Clean & Safe's

new dispatch number is 503-388-3888.

If you are a retailer or property owner located within the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District, please refer to our new number to receive help from our cleaning crews or safety coordinators.

Our SAFETY coordinator,

can help with:

• Disorderly behavior
• Public drinking
• Individuals sleeping in doorways or blocking access
• Advice on a security issue

Our CLEANING crew,

can help with:

• Cleaning the sidewalk
• Removing graffiti on the building walls facing the street, no higher than 8'
• Picking up needles or other biohazards

Hours of operation:

7 Days a Week, 24 Hours a Day.

For an emergency, you should call 9-1-1 immediately. Call Clean & Safe AFTER you have confirmed a police officer is on the way to your location.

For non-emergencies, call the Portland Police at 503-823-3333.

Last week, we had the opportunity to honor and thank Clean & Safe’s Board Chair Emeritus Cindy Laurila by presenting her with an official proclamation designating August 10th as Cindy Laurila “Nick Fish Award Day” in Greater Portland. After a long and successful career, Cindy is heading into retirement!

The Nick Fish Award recognizes community champions that embody the qualities of late Commissioner Nick Fish, including his dedication to community, leadership and strong collaboration. Cindy served as Clean & Safe’s Board Chair from 2019 to 2022 and held this position during a particularly challenging time for the organization and the City of Portland.

“As the Executive Director for Clean & Safe, I have had the joy of working closely with Cindy over the past year,” said Mark Wells. “Together, we have tackled many challenging projects and hurdles, and her genuine love of our city and desire to make a difference for everyone downtown has been inspirational. I will miss her leadership and tremendous support of my team and our dedicated Board members.”

Shared Cindy: “At PGE, we focus on the four disciplines of execution and achieving wildly important goals (“WIGs”). So, picking up on that theme, my WIGs in retirement are fun, family and education. And by education, I mean: Tai Chi, being curious, and learning a foreign language with my 2-year-old grandson! Most of our travel plans in the next 12 months will be to connect with family around the USA, and after that we are looking at a big international trip. Also, if all goes well, we are looking to sell our primary residence and downsize to a condo in Downtown Portland! The hubby and I want to stay connected and be part of the recovery downtown.”

Cindy, on behalf of your friends at Clean & Safe and the Portland Business Alliance, thank you...for everything! We celebrate and honor you for your tremendous work toward keeping our community safe and prosperous. We hope you enjoy your upcoming chapter, and we look forward to seeing all the great things you will continue to do in the community! Thank you for your tremendous service to our Portland region!

A recent Pedestrian Count conducted by Clean & Safe reveals that people are returning to Downtown Portland in dramatic numbers compared to 2021. The city is far busier than last year, and the community is flocking into downtown for large-scale events, dinner and entertainment. And while people are visiting downtown during the evenings and on weekends, the pedestrian counts also reveal that people are less inclined to visit Downtown during the traditional work week.

“Downtown retail locations and other businesses have re-opened. However, many office workers who have traditionally helped to make Downtown Portland a vibrant economic center have transitioned to hybrid or remote work environments,” said Sydney Mead, Clean & Safe’s Director of Downtown Programs. “The bright light in our recovery efforts has really been the return of big events to the downtown core, and we are seeing that these events are attracting people into downtown. Businesses are looking forward to having office workers back Downtown and will feel fully recovered from the impacts of the pandemic once this occurs.”

We’re happy to re-share the following message from our friends at

Be ready for the return of downtown workers 

As workers, visitors and shoppers return to the Central City, now is the right time for retailers, restaurants, and other businesses to update your online listings. Companies may submit their own information on the Shop Small PDX directory here. If you don't have a listing, create your listing.

For Google listings, check out these Google My Business steps to update. Remember to include any summer holiday hours and additional services you offer, like gift cards, curbside pickup and delivery and do the same for your business website & social media channels. 

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe and the Downtown Retail Council are pleased to announce that the Holiday Pop-Up Shop program is back for another season! 

If you are a small business, maker, or retailer looking to participate in the Pop-Up program, please review the open call for applicants on the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe website and help us share the opportunity across your social channels!

Have a vacant retail space?

If you are a property manager or building owner, have vacant space, and you are interested in participating in this program, please reach out to Chase McPherson at [email protected].

Clean & Safe recently welcomed Chase McPherson as our full-time Downtown Retail Advocate.

In this role, Chase works to build positive relationships with downtown retailers, supporting property owners, and working with brokers. Chase has previously served in this role part-time, so you may already be familiar with him and his many talents.

In 2022, Downtown Portland has welcomed a variety of new businesses! With so many news stories highlighting the businesses that are leaving downtown, we thought we’d offer a ray of sunshine and a different perspective.

Tanaka

Taylor Street Tavern

Dolly Olive

Big E

Trap Kitchen Roseland

La Fondita

City Bridge & Tunnel

Kaizen Sushi

Pallet Portland

Ramen Ryoma

Hamono Sushi

Waffle on a Stick

Grits n' Gravy

Treebeerd’s Taphouse

The Pickle Jar

Wok A Holic

Dinolandia

Rachel and Rose

We’re happy to re-share the following message from our friends at

Check out Venture Portland's

Small Business Podcast

The Small Business Portland Podcast features interviews with business district experts, small business owners and local leaders to discuss the state of small business in Portland. Join host Eleni Gerding as she explores issues affecting Portland's 50 neighborhood business districts and the small business owners that make them unique. Latest episode features a chat with Elizabeth Hsia, owner of Reclamation in the Williams District about proper plant care, great gift ideas and the shop mascot, Elliot! 

SOLVE's next downtown Portland Cleanup Day is on Wednesday, September 28. Join the grassroots effort to pick up Portland, one piece of litter at a time. All supplies and instruction will be provided. Now, we just need you to help get the good work done. Businesses, restaurants, and other retailers are seeing an increase in foot traffic as tourism resumes.

Let's come together and make sure that downtown Portland is a safe, clean, and enjoyable city to visit, for all. Choose a check-in location and register below!

Monkeypox Health Resources for Employers

As Monkeypox spreads across Oregon, Multnomah County Public Health has put together some general guidance and precautionary communications around hMPXV (also known as Monkeypox) for local businesses. Guidance includes advice on cleaning and protecting staff, how hMPVX spreads, and what to do if there is an exposure. Guidance will be especially applicable for businesses in which skin to skin contact occurs, and where staff come into contact with bedding, towels, and other objects touched by others' bare skin.

To learn more, we encourage you to visit Multnomah County's website.

So much is happening in Downtown Portland! In case you missed the news on these special activities, we’re happy to re-share:



• July Street Beat Newsletter
• Help us welcome our new board chair Terrence Paschal
• A Sommer Day in Portland: The Daily Feast, Portland Food Hall + The Soop
• A Sommer Day in Portland: The (Deviled) Egg Hunt
• A Sommer Day in Portland: Crafty Wonderland, Kinokuniya, Go! Calendars, Toys + Games

Portland is a hotbed of innovation and economic growth. A center of culture and creativity. A gathering place for Portlanders and visitors. It’s also the center of national attention for issues related to houselessness, safety, and tourism. Here’s what’s new:

• Report: Portland downtown starting to recover, Aug. 23
• Portland law firm signs 11,000-square-foot lease at Pioneer Courthouse Square, Aug. 23
• City of Portland makes changes to Main Street ahead of iconic Thompson Elk Fountain return, Aug. 22
• Portland Criterium bike racing to return after nearly a decade, Aug. 19
• Downtown Portland retailer bucks trend, renews Fox Tower lease, Aug. 18
• 'An act of hope': Nonprofit commits to Old Town with building purchase, Aug. 3
• The Ultimate Portland Bucket List, Aug. 1
• Stash Tea to move headquarters, retail store from Tigard to downtown Portland, July 29
• Oregon Brewers Festival returns for first time since pandemic, July 28

Learn the Latest from our Affiliates

Downtown Portland Clean & Safe is a private, nonprofit organization that contracts with the Portland Business Alliance to provide enhanced cleaning and security services, marketing and economic development programs to downtown property owners.

The Downtown Portland Clean & Safe District provides extraordinary essential services to the people, places and businesses within a core 213-block area of our unique city. Operating since 1988, the district is one of the oldest, largest and most successful enhanced service districts in the nation.

Hours of operation:

7 Days a Week, 24 Hours a Day. 

Download district map (pdf)

For service, call 503-388-3888.