Dear neighbors, community partners, and neighborhood associations,
On Monday, Mayor Wheeler announced the move of the Office of Community & Civic Life and the Office of Equity and Human Rights to his portfolio. This move is part of the City’s larger transition and efforts to improve service to Portlanders (Resolution 37609).

Civic Life’s focus on Community Engagement – through our programs like Advisory Bodies, the Neighborhood Program, and others – allows the bureau to be a convener for community voices in local government. We are excited to work directly with Mayor Wheeler’s office to address issues of livability, community safety, housing and homelessness, economic recovery, and government performance. These are the issues most important to Portlanders as identified by the 2022 Portland Insights Survey.

This move will also streamline Civic Life’s assignment to the City Administrator’s Office in the new, voter-approved form of government.

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, Civic Life will be placed in the City Administrator’s Office in alignment with the new organizational chart adopted by City Council and will report to the Assistant City Administrator.

The office had been under Commissioner Dan Ryan’s portfolio since the beginning of 2023.

“I am proud of the work we accomplished returning the Office of Community & Civic Life to its core mission of serving Portlanders with a renewed spirit of civic engagement that includes listening and learning from the wisdom in our neighborhood communities,” said Commissioner Ryan.

Civic Life was created in 1974 to build stronger communities by supporting and empowering Portlanders to get involved with their local government through civic engagement, community leadership, and support for neighbors.

“I’d like to thank Commissioner Ryan for his leadership of both offices over the past year and his commitment to serving Portlanders,” said Mayor Wheeler. “Together with my colleagues, we will continue to set Portland’s next government up for success so they can hit the ground running in January 2025.”

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