Descendants of Displaced Black Families In Portland To Receive $8.5 Settlement
- ural49
- Jun 17
- 2 min read
The city of Portland has agreed to pay $8.5 million to 26 descendants of Black Portlanders who were forcibly displaced from their homes and businesses between the 1950s and 1970s due to government-backed development projects. This settlement stems from a 2022 federal lawsuit that accused the city, Prosper Portland (formerly the Portland Development Commission), and Emanuel Legacy Medical Center of conspiring to dismantle a once-thriving Black community in the Central Albina neighborhood under the guise of urban renewal.
On Thursday, the Portland City Council unanimously approved the settlement, which includes $7.5 million from the city and $1 million from Prosper Portland. The original amount proposed was $2 million, but after hearing emotional testimony from community members and descendants, the council voted to increase the amount. "It was taken not by accident," said Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney. "It happened through public policy… and it displaced Black Portlanders and disrupted generational progress." She added, "This settlement... is not a full restoration because it never can be. But nonetheless, it is important."
The civil rights lawsuit detailed how the city and its partners used rezoning, eminent domain, and federal funding to displace over 150 families for a hospital expansion that was never completed. Many of those lots remain vacant or are used for parking to this day. Royal Harris, one of the plaintiffs, emphasized the generational damage caused: "We are talking about significant numbers that changed the direct trajectory of communities and families."
In addition to monetary compensation, the agreement includes the transfer of two land parcels to the descendants and a commitment to declare a "Descendants Day" annually for at least five years. The city will also support a grant-funded film chronicling the neighborhood's history and include descendants in future planning if the Keller Auditorium undergoes renovation. The settlement explicitly acknowledges that Portland's actions contributed to segregation and denied Black families the opportunity for homeownership and generational wealth.
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