Two-Year Check-In: Progress and Impact
The Northwest Community Conservancy (NWCC) was formed as a 501(c)(3) in January 2023 to improve safety, livability, and business opportunities in Portland’s Pearl District. Covering 120 blocks in NW Portland. This would be accomplished by being responsive to community needs through providing humanitarian services, security patrols, business support, a hotline to timely address security and humanitarian issues, advocacy for key district priorities, accountability reporting, and working with organizations like PDNA, the Portland Police Bureau, Multnomah County, the city of Portland, and many others.
In just two years, these efforts have produced meaningful results:
Humanitarian Impact: Over 2,000 homeless individuals have been helped into shelters and connected with services, thanks to NWCC's dedicated Humanitarian Team and an effective online reporting system.
Rapid Response: Over 2,000 hotline calls have been answered within 9 minutes, improving community confidence in district responsiveness.
Crime Reduction: Property crimes have decreased by over 20%, according to monthly PPB statistics.
Accountability: NWCC provides monthly reports on nine key progress measures, ensuring transparency. Members also receive timely incident updates, and a daily security patrol enhances community safety.
Partnerships: NWCC's collaboration with PPB led to the capture of a serial intruder and thief, the creation of key policies, and ongoing support for PPB's drug and crime enforcement efforts.
Advocacy Efforts: NWCC has successfully advocated at the state, county, and city levels to promote safety and economic growth. This includes supporting the Governor's Task Force and expanding Portland's Business Tax Credit program to include the Pearl District.
Business Support: By working with property and business owners, NWCC has helped develop strategies to fill vacant commercial spaces and improve overall business conditions.
Advocacy for the Pearl District
Councilor Olivia Clark of District 4, recently joined NWCC for a walking tour of the Pearl District to learn more about ongoing efforts to improve safety and livability in the area. During the tour, NWCC shared insights on key issues facing the neighborhood and discussed collaborative solutions to address them. This partnership reflects a shared commitment to fostering a safer, more vibrant community for residents, businesses, and visitors alike.
NWCC's work is guided by clear community priorities identified in a listening session, including:
Safe streets
A strong business community
Promoting the Pearl District as a destination with vibrant restaurants, retail, and services
Support for the arts and education
Thanks to this collective effort — and the support of our members — NWCC continues to build a safer, stronger, and more vibrant Pearl District.
If you have any further thoughts or would like to get more involved, please reach out to me at
chase@nwccpdx.org.
How to Report Stolen Property and Help Keep Our Community Safe
At NWCC, we work hard to keep our community safe and informed. Recently, our Humanitarian Team received a call from an NWCC member walking to work in the Pearl District. The member was concerned about two individuals loitering near a property and potentially causing issues. NWCC team member Terrance cautiously approached and engaged with the couple, offering resources.
