FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Homelessness, Affordable Housing, Economic Outlook Still Top Concerns
Portland, OR (Jan. 30, 2025) – A notable shift in public sentiment about Portland’s direction has emerged over the past year, according to new polling from the Portland Metro Chamber, though significant challenges remain.
The survey of 700 registered tri-county voters found that negative perceptions about the region’s trajectory dropped by 13% overall, with Multnomah County showing the most striking improvement — a 22% decrease in residents who believe the county is on the wrong track. While these gains signal momentum in the region’s recovery, the poll also reinforces that homelessness and housing affordability continue to be pressing concerns for residents.
The improvement in outlook spans all three counties surveyed. In Multnomah County, 47% of voters now say the county is on the wrong track, down from 69% last year. Clackamas County saw wrong-track sentiment drop to 32% from 45%, while Washington County improved to 35% from 39%. These gains in public confidence coincide with rising downtown visitation and improved perceptions of daytime safety.
Voters feel safer in downtown Portland during the day and are visiting downtown more
Downtown Portland is seeing a resurgence in both visitors and public confidence. A strong 63% of voters now report feeling safe in downtown during daytime hours–a dramatic 19-point increase from last year–while nearly two-thirds of all voters, including a growing number of suburban residents, visited downtown in the past months. However, nighttime safety remains a significant concern, with 75% of voters feeling unsafe downtown after dark. While this shows modest improvement from 81% last year.
“This data shows us that we are headed in the right direction. Foot traffic in the downtown core is up. We welcomed 27.3 million people downtown this summer, our highest foot traffic since before the pandemic,” says Andrew Hoan, President & CEO of the Portland Metro Chamber. “People feel good about coming downtown. But the data confirms there is still a great deal of work to be done to unsheltered homelessness and housing affordability and create positive economic opportunities as a city and a region.”
“Kinder Morgan is proud to support our partners at the Portland Metro Chamber to provide this very valuable information to the public,” says Allen Fore, VP, Public Affairs, Kinder Morgan, which funded the research. “There is a lot to be proud of in our region and it is rewarding to see that voters are also feeling that positive momentum, especially in downtown Portland. We look forward to continuing to work with our partners at the PMC and across Portland and the region to support the needs of our communities.”
Overall downtown visitation has increased compared to last year, with two-thirds of voters surveyed visiting downtown at least once in the past month, up from half in 2023. This increase is seen across both Portland voters (76% in 2024 vs. 69% in 2023) and suburban voters (57% in 2024 vs. 45% in 2023). Most visitors come downtown for work, dining, and cultural events, with a strong interest in dining out and attending live music and cultural activities.
Homelessness, Affordable Housing, Economic Outlook Still Top Concerns
Despite these positive trends in downtown vitality, the poll reveals that fundamental challenges persist across three key areas. Homelessness and affordable housing remain prominent concerns for tri-county voters. While the number of people citing homelessness as their top concern decreased from 40% in 2023 to 35% this year, concerns about affordable housing grew significantly, with mentions increasing from 10% in 2023 to 18% this year.
The economic outlook also remains challenging. Just over four in ten voters (45%) feel worse off compared to two years ago, with 37% maintaining their position and only 18% reporting improvement. These concerns are particularly pronounced among voters outside Portland, where 48% report feeling worse off financially compared to 40% of Portland residents.
Negative perceptions of economic opportunities continue to surpass positive ones, with 46% of voters viewing their economic opportunities as poor compared with 42% who see positive economic opportunities. These views most likely reflect the impact of day-to-day household expenses: 59% are concerned about the cost of living, 57% are concerned about affordable housing, but fewer (19%) are concerned about jobs.
Seven in ten voters feel taxes are too high for the services they receive (68%), with voters in Multnomah (70%) and Clackamas (73%) counties more likely to feel this way compared to those in Washington County (59%). In Portland, most voters oppose raising local taxes even if it means reduced city services (54% oppose vs. 29% support), and when informed that budget cuts are likely.
When it comes to their top issue — homelessness – voters disapprove of their home county’s management of funds from Metro’s regional tax. Multnomah County voters are particularly dissatisfied with how the county is managing these funds to address homelessness, with half strongly disapproving (79% total job disapproval). Strong disapproval is notable in Clackamas (29%) and Washington (32%) counties as well.
Voters show modest support for the two existing taxes tested 55% support using surplus funds from the Metro regional government’s income tax on higher-earning households to build affordable housing and 53% support the Preschool for All measure despite the 0.8% increase in the tax scheduled to take effect in 2026.
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About DHM Research
DHM Research is an independent research firm that specializes in measuring the values and priorities that drive public opinion. Our research provides high-quality, objective information to help organizations and leaders make informed decisions about complex issues. We have decades of experience in polling, public policy research, and how it can help shape communities. DHM is proud to be recognized as a B Corp-certified company that meets rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability, and transparency.
About the Portland Metro Chamber
The Portland Metro Chamber was founded in 1870 and represents the largest, most diverse business network in the region. The Chamber brings together more than 2,300 members represented by dynamic and varied employers from around the Portland region, and offers a strong source of support, information, advocacy, engagement, and professional development opportunities. Grounded in its mission to create opportunity and advance well-being for all who live and work in the Greater Portland and SW Washington region, the Chamber envisions a healthy and resilient business ecosystem where we work together to increase collaboration in governance; engage community; increase civic leadership; and advocate for a vibrant, livable region for all.