Council priorities for 2018 include working on homelessness and revitalizing downtown

Posted on by Justin Pot

Hillsboro’s city councillors will vote on a resolution Tuesday outlining their “Guiding Principles” for 2018. It’s a mostly vague list, and doesn’t outline any policy specifics.

Still, the wording provides some insight into what elected officials in the city feel they need, or want, to work on. Here’s the list in full, the order of which is not supposed to reflect relative importance.

  • Support community mobility by continuing to improve our transportation system
  • Work with community partners to increase public transportation access and service options
  • Support cultural inclusion and expanded engagement with diverse community members
  • Create partnerships to encourage and support the development of more market rate and affordable housing
  • Continue working with community partners on homelessness
  • Support the development of entrepreneurs in Hillsboro
  • Expand workforce training opportunities that benefit all residents
  • Continue to plan ahead and position the City 50 years out for future success
  • Support the planning and development of the Crescent Park Greenway
  • Initiate exploration of receiving a Tree City USA designation
  • Support the continued success of the Hillsboro Airport and the City’s partnership with the Port of Portland
  • Lead and promote sustainability initiatives, including energy-saving practices and renewable energy
  • Emphasize the continued revitalization of Downtown Hillsboro

It’s easy to write these sorts of lists off as so much political posturing, and vague clauses like “expanded engagement,” “initiate exploration,” and “create partnerships” don’t help much. But buried in all that are a few real concrete challenges the city faces—homeless, transportation, and affordable housing. There are also a few ambitious projects, including expanded workforce training and the Crescent Park Greenway, a network of trails that will eventually surround the city. Watch closely for specific policies related to those things.

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