Portland staff outline data‑driven Storefront Support Program, report due Jan. 30

City staff told the Arts and Economy Committee on Dec. 16 that they are developing a Storefront Support Program designed to help stabilize neighborhood commercial corridors and reduce vacancies.

Victor Sanders, project manager with Portland Solutions, said the team is building a “business district health index” that will combine existing city data (business registries, 311/911 calls) with commercial datasets and boots‑on‑the‑ground inventories to detect negative trends and trigger interventions. The project team plans focused stakeholder engagement in January and expects to deliver a report to council by Jan. 30, with follow‑up sessions in early February.

Why it matters: Councilors said downtown and neighborhood storefronts are at risk, with small business owners reporting falling foot traffic, rising overhead and public safety concerns. Members stressed a need for immediate, actionable measures rather than additional lengthy planning.

What staff outlined: The scoping includes four elements—data (what exists and what is missing), program options for reactive and proactive support, city response protocols (how 311/911 issues translate into follow‑up), and vacancy measurement. Sanders said business license data are lagging and that the team is exploring hybrid solutions—commercial feeds (such as CoStar APIs), student or volunteer field inventories, and partnership with local business districts—to get more timely vacancy signals.

Local input and immediate priorities: Multiple councilors and business owners urged the team to prioritize support for businesses still operating. Bianca Youngers, who owns a restaurant on Alberta Street, told the committee: “supporting the businesses that are here right now” should come before focusing solely on vacancies; she also flagged safety as a top concern. Prosper Portland’s economic development director, Andrew Fitzpatrick, said his agency is embedded in the steering committee and recommended hybrid data and partnership approaches.

Next steps: Staff will continue stakeholder engagement throughout January, refine the data model and KPIs, and return to the committee with recommendations and an action plan that could include immediate pilot interventions and budget/staffing scenarios to support implementation in the FY26‑27 cycle.