A Hesitant Portland

I always like to end the week on a high note for the blogs. Yesterday's entry on sustainable communities in Rhode Island was certainly that. But today we get a reality check. One of the community field's real success stories--Portland, OR--was profiled in the New York Times today clicking off the impact of the economic downturn. While there is grim news reported about job layoffs and the decision by famed Powell Books not to expand, there is as you might guess somewhat of a silver lining. For the last quarter of a century at least we have been sliding--even great communities like Portland. Because despite the many positive things about the city including a thriving downtown, sustainability, innovative public transportation, and a real haven for the creative class, there have been problems, real problems. Poverty, school performance, and the implications of the those issues have been in Portland all along. This is Portland's time and our time to put on a new set of glasses going forward. 

One of the real surprises I have found as I have spoken around the country is that people really don't want to hear any bad news. The story line that is most popular is how their community is better than others. Forget that and start right now on a different ending. The silver lining of the Portland story is it is a wake-up call for that great city and all others that we need to position ourselves differently as we come out of this recession. I am not suggesting fear or reticence but rather boldness and reality. Many years ago urbanist Lewis Mumford spoke at the Economic Club of Portland. He asked people in Portland if they were up to the task to do what was needed to be great. They were...and they are still. 

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