Decisions/2026-243
Emergency ordinance2026-243

Should Portland authorize exception to Code Chapter 17.93 Renaming City Streets and authorize the renaming of Cesar E. Chavez Blvd to Campesinos Blvd (allow exceptions…

This ordinance authorizes the renaming of Northeast and Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard within the City of Portland to Northeast and Southeast Campesinos Boulevard.The purpose of the ordinance is to recognize and honor the broader legacy of farmworkers, immigrants, Latinx labor leaders, and the collective labor movement known as la causa. The proposed renaming responds to community concerns regarding credible and substantiated revelations of abuse and violence attributed to labor leader César Chávez, while preserving recognition of the farmworker movement and the people whose labor and organizing have shaped food justice, workers' rights, and immigrant justice efforts.The ordinance also acknowledges community interest in moving forward with a swift, equitable, and fiscally responsible renaming process. To accomplish this, the ordinance waives the provisions of Portland City Code Chapter 17.93 related to renaming City streets and directs the Portland Bureau of Transportation to install new street signs reflecting the new street name within six months.

Official impact statement
See the official legal title

*Authorize exception to Code Chapter 17.93 Renaming City Streets and authorize the renaming of Cesar E. Chavez Blvd to Campesinos Blvd (allow exceptions to Code Sections 17.93.010, 17.93.020, 17.93.030, 17.93.040 and 17.93.050)

This is one chapter of a larger storyCampesinos Boulevard

How should Portland respond to revelations about César Chávez while honoring farmworkers and giving affected residents and businesses a fair process?

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01 · Understand it

What this proposal would actually do.

Plain-language orientation first. Every substantive statement below links to its official basis.

What would change

This ordinance authorizes the renaming of Northeast and Southeast Cesar Chavez Boulevard within the City of Portland to Northeast and Southeast Campesinos Boulevard.The purpose of the ordinance is to recognize and honor the broader legacy of farmworkers, immigrants, Latinx labor leaders, and the collective labor movement known as la causa. The proposed renaming responds to community concerns regarding credible and substantiated revelations of abuse and violence attributed to labor leader César Chávez, while preserving recognition of the farmworker movement and the people whose labor and organizing have shaped food justice, workers' rights, and immigrant justice efforts.The ordinance also acknowledges community interest in moving forward with a swift, equitable, and fiscally responsible renaming process. To accomplish this, the ordinance waives the provisions of Portland City Code Chapter 17.93 related to renaming City streets and directs the Portland Bureau of Transportation to install new street signs reflecting the new street name within six months.

Official proposal and impact statement
What would stay the same

The reviewed sources do not clearly identify every existing policy, service, contract, or obligation that would remain unchanged.

Official matter record
Who may be affected

This ordinance is intended to respond to community concerns and advance an equitable approach to street renaming that honors farmworkers, immigrants, Latinx labor leaders, and the broader labor movement rather than centering recognition on one individual.The renaming to Campesinos Boulevard reflects the contributions of farmworkers who have historically and continue to provide essential labor for the food system while often facing economic insecurity and inequitable working conditions. The ordinance also recognizes the need to act in solidarity against discrimination, deportations, and federal overreach affecting Latinx and immigrant communities.The ordinance acknowledges that previous renaming efforts involved complex, inconsistent, and burdensome requirements and that the public process created harm for advocates and City staff through racism, harassment, verbal abuse, and threats of violence. By waiving Chapter 17.93 and moving forward through Council action, the ordinance seeks to provide a more direct and responsive path while preserving public notification to affected residents, businesses, agencies, and community members.

Official community impact statement
What happens next

Passed as amended by council

Latest official agenda appearance
02 · Evaluate it

What the record establishes and what it does not.

Votes show choices. They do not, by themselves, prove why a member made that choice.

Final Council action

Passed · 12–0

Read the exact motion or vote question

Vote register entry for 2026-243: *Authorize exception to Code Chapter 17.93 Renaming City Streets and authorize the renaming of Cesar E. Chavez Blvd to Campesinos Blvd (allow exceptions to Code Sections 17.93.010, 17.93.020, 17.93.030, 17.93.040 and 17.93.050)

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Financial implications

This ordinance is expected to have limited but direct financial impacts associated with the administrative and operational costs of renaming the street. These costs may include public notice, direct correspondence to affected property owners and occupants, coordination with public agencies and emergency services, updates to City records, and the fabrication and installation of new street signs by the Portland Bureau of Transportation.The Portland Bureau of Transportation will be responsible for installing new street signs showing the new street name and removing the former street name within six months. Any costs associated with sign replacement, staff time, and implementation are expected to be absorbed within existing bureau resources unless otherwise identified by PBOT during implementation.This ordinance does not create a new ongoing program, staffing requirement, or dedicated revenue source.

Official financial impact statement
Open questions
  • The source-linked record has not yet received a human review of competing arguments. A yes or no vote alone does not establish a Councilor’s rationale.
  • What implementation evidence will show whether the intended result occurred?
Can residents still participate?

Official testimony on this decision has closed. Residents can still contact their district Councilors about implementation and follow-up.

Official Council agenda
03 · Verify it

Inspect the complete research record.

Official text, source files, exact motions, roll calls, provenance, and the technical completeness check remain available without crowding the explanation above.

Official documents13 sources
Final legal actionEmergency ordinance 192218

The operative official record after Council action.

Open at Portland.gov
Show 7 more documents
Read the full official text

The City of Portland ordains.Section 1. The Council finds:Credible and substantiated revelations of abuse and violence attributed to labor leader César Chávez have led the City of Portland to grieve with la causa supporters and survivors of sexual assault.There is widespread support in the community to swiftly rename Portland's César Chávez Boulevard in a manner that befits and honors la causa, Latinx labor leaders, and farmworker organizations.The City recognizes the many farmworkers and immigrants who make up transformative, intergenerational labor movements like la causa.Farmworkers, or campesinos, have both historically and continue to provide the labor for the food our community needs and selflessly support food justice programs, even while facing food insecurity themselves.The City stands in solidarity against indiscriminate deportations, the targeting of the Latinx community, and ongoing unlawful federal overreach.The Council believes the most anti-racist, equitable, collaborative, and fiscally responsible action is a swift renaming rather than the erasure of previous labor, partnership, and process.NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:Northeast and Southeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard shall be renamed as Northeast and Southeast Campesinos Boulevard.The requirements of Portland City Code Sections 17.93.010, 17.93.020, 17.93.030, 17.93.040 and 17.93.050, renaming City Streets, are hereby waived for the renaming of Northeast and Southeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard to Northeast and Southeast Campesinos Boulevard.The City Administrator shall notify owners and occupants of all property abutting the street being named, affected public agencies, the general public, U.S. Post Office, and emergency services organizations of the name change through public notice, direct correspondence, and other appropriate means.The requirements in Code Subsection 17.93.060.A are hereby waived for the proposed renaming of Northeast and Southeast César E. Chávez Boulevard to Northeast and Southeast Campesinos Boulevard. Instead, the existing street name sign and proposed new street name sign shall both be posted and maintained up to five years following approval for the proposed renaming of Northeast and Southeast César E. Chávez Boulevard to Northeast and Southeast Campesinos Boulevard.Section 2. The Council declares that an emergency exists in order to be responsive to community concerns about the negative impact of survivors of abuse and others, and to ensure facilitation of the timely operations of City staff in changing the name; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.

Meetings, motions, amendments, and votes2 meetings · 4 votes

Recorded amendments

Sep 9, 2026 · Withdrawn

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Koyama Lane 1: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. Motion withdrawn.

Sep 9, 2026 · Withdrawn

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Novick 1: Moved by Novick and seconded by Kanal. Motion withdrawn. Council agreed without objection to move to Item 2026-270 and then return to 2026-243.

Sep 9, 2026 · Recorded

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Koyama Lane 2: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Sep 9, 2026 · Recorded

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Novick 2: Moved by Novick and seconded by Kanal. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Sep 9, 2026 · Recorded

Motion to amend the Ordinance to add an emergency clause to be responsive to community concerns about the negative impact of survivors of abuse and others and to ensure facilitation of the timely operations of City staff in changing the name: Moved by Clark and seconded by Ryan. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Read all 5 exact motions
Sep 9, 2026 · Amendment · Withdrawn

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Koyama Lane 1: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. Motion withdrawn.

Sep 9, 2026 · Amendment · Withdrawn

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Novick 1: Moved by Novick and seconded by Kanal. Motion withdrawn. Council agreed without objection to move to Item 2026-270 and then return to 2026-243.

Sep 9, 2026 · Amendment · Recorded

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Koyama Lane 2: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Sep 9, 2026 · Amendment · Recorded

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Novick 2: Moved by Novick and seconded by Kanal. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Sep 9, 2026 · Amendment · Recorded

Motion to amend the Ordinance to add an emergency clause to be responsive to community concerns about the negative impact of survivors of abuse and others and to ensure facilitation of the timely operations of City staff in changing the name: Moved by Clark and seconded by Ryan. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Meeting-level motion or recommendation · Sep 9, 202612 yes

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Koyama Lane 2: Moved by Koyama Lane and seconded by Clark. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Meeting-level motion or recommendation · Sep 9, 202612 yes

Motion to amend the Ordinance as shown in Novick 2: Moved by Novick and seconded by Kanal. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Meeting-level motion or recommendation · Sep 9, 202612 yes

Motion to amend the Ordinance to add an emergency clause to be responsive to community concerns about the negative impact of survivors of abuse and others and to ensure facilitation of the timely operations of City staff in changing the name: Moved by Clark and seconded by Ryan. (Aye (12): Koyama Lane, Morillo, Novick, Clark, Green, Zimmerman, Avalos, Smith, Kanal, Pirtle-Guiney, Ryan, Dunphy)

Final Council action · Sep 9, 202612 yes · 0 no

Vote register entry for 2026-243: *Authorize exception to Code Chapter 17.93 Renaming City Streets and authorize the renaming of Cesar E. Chavez Blvd to Campesinos Blvd (allow exceptions to Code Sections 17.93.010, 17.93.020, 17.93.030, 17.93.040 and 17.93.050)

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Official legal text

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Financial impact

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Complete
Supporting documents

12 linked supporting documents found; presence alone does not verify their internal completeness.

Complete
Referenced exhibit integrity

No explicit exhibit reference was detected in the official text.

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Source record
First discovered
Sep 9, 2026, 4:07 PM PDT
Last checked
Sep 27, 2026, 7:08 PM PDT
Evidence hash
25010eb9aa1e4b26
Guide status
Deterministic baseline
Append-only timeline
  1. SOURCE UPDATED

    Passed as amended by council

  2. SOURCE UPDATED

    Passed as amended on September 9, 2026 by City Council

  3. Council Action

    Passed as amended

  4. SOURCE UPDATED

    Passed to second reading on September 2, 2026 by City Council

  5. Council Action

    Passed to second reading

  6. SOURCE UPDATED

    Referred to City Council by Council President

  7. DOCUMENT PUBLISHED

    Referred to City Council by Council President