TL;DR (generated · confidence: high)

The City of Portland must deliver 1,500 ADA-compliant curb ramps annually through 2030 under a federal consent decree. Original funding split between General Fund, Build Portland bonds, and Transportation revenues became unsustainable, creating a ~$71 million unfunded liability. Budget Office, City Attorney, and Public Works developed funding options by January 2025, ultimately recommending 15-year debt financing split between General Fund and General Transportation Resources.

Key points (each cites a PDF page):

Consent decree requires minimum 1,500 new or remediated ADA-compliant curb ramps annually from 2018 through 2030 (p. 1477)
Current unfunded liability: approximately $71 million (p. 1477)
Original funding sources (General Fund, Build Portland bonds, Transportation funds) became unviable due to General Fund strain, discontinued bonding, and transportation revenue declines (p. 1477)
Three offices directed to develop solutions: Office of Budget & Finance, City Attorney's Office, Office of Public Works (p. 1477)
Deliverable due prior to FY 2025-26 annual Budget Development (p. 1478)
December 2024 status: initial meetings completed, group working on recommendation with memo target of January 2025 (p. 1478)
Final decision: fund remaining contributions from General Fund and General Transportation Resources using 15-year debt financing (p. 1479)

💰 $71 million · 📋 CREEC Settlement Liability · ADA Compliant Curb Ramps · Build Portland · 🏛️ Public Works · Portland Bureau of Transportation · City Attorney's Office · Office of the Budget & Finance

CREEC-Settlement-Liability---Funding-Option-Budget-Note

Source: PDF pp. 1477-1479 · raw: 1477 · 1478 · 1479

Breadcrumb: 6 pw › CREEC-Settlement-Liability---Funding-Option-Budget-Note

To: Ruth Levine, City Budget Office Director From: [Service Area Lead], [Title] CC: Mike Jordan, City Administrator Deputy City Administrators Mayor & Council Date: February 14, 2025 Re: FY 2024-25 Adopted Budget Note Updates Budget Note Title Review of CREEC Settlement Liability and Funding Options Primary Service Area Public Works Due By 1/24/2025 Lead Jonas Biery Jonas Biery Priya Dhanapal Jeramy Patton Staff to include Millicent Williams Ken McGair Ruth Levine Bryce Liedtke In Budget Concept? Yes Budget Concept DP # TBD (CBO is entering) Budget Note Full Text As part of the U.S. District Court monitored Civil Rights Education and Enforcement Center (CREEC) Consent Decree settlement (Hines, et al. v. City of Portland, 3:18-cv-00869-HZ), the City of Portland is required to provide a minimum of 1,500 new or remediated ADA compliant curb ramps per year, starting in 2018 and extending through 2030. Through the first six years of the City’s obligation, funding sources for meeting this requirement have been varied. Early funding proposals suggested a split between the City’s General Fund, Build Portland bond revenues, and Transportation funds. However, in subsequent years, the viability of these revenues to fully absorb CREEC liabilities has shifted, namely due to strain on the General Fund due to emergent obligations, the discontinuation of Build Portland bonding, and revenue declines within the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Accordingly, the CREEC settlement currently represents an unfunded liability of approximately $71 million. The Office of the Budget & Finance Deputy City Administrator, the City Attorney’s Office, and the Office of Public Works Deputy City Administrator are directed to work in conjunction to develop options to fund CREEC liabilities through the remainder of the settlement. Drafted options are to be presented to the City Administrator by January 2025 prior to annual Budget Development for FY 2025-26.

Deliverable Drafted options are to be presented to the City Administrator prior to annual Budget Development for FY 2025-26. Next Steps (from June 2024) Need project plan Status Update (from December 2024) Initial meetings have occurred. Group is working on a recommendation. Will have a memo ready by January.

Final Update Status Agreement was made to submit a budget concept to fund the remaining contributions from General Fund and General Transportation Resources utilizing debt financing with a repayment term of 15 years. Details of this financing plan is included in the budget concept narrative.

Parent: 6 pw · PDF: pp. 1477-1479