Progress Portland

Kat and Kip discuss current events like going to war, identify politics as a form of silencing, and as usual, what aren't we doing well helping our neighbors struggling most. Please like, subscribe, and share. Community is everything.

We discuss too many things, but primarily the city council meltdown over housing dollars, how intentions and transparency matters, and potential new features and ideas.

In our 50th (!!!) episode, we welcome Kristofer Brown from People's Depot which provides a daily central place for people to bring their recyclable cans and serves as a hub for community and connection to services. Kristopher brings his personal stories and intentions to the conversation and demonstrates that a little help up and thoughtfulness goes a very long way. More info at https://www.ground...

Kat and Kip discuss various issues including the drawdown in Minneapolis, the role of legal observers in activism, challenges faced in the nonprofit sector, and the formation of the CBPA. They explore themes of accountability, community support, and the complexities of public committee structures, all while sharing personal anecdotes and insights from their experiences. The AI Said all that^

A new feature: The Wednesday Kvetch. Kat and Kip and occasional guests will recap events from the previous week as well as top of mind items. And Kvetch a bit. Let us know what you think. Takeaways Inclusivity in halftime shows Impact of budget decisions on housing and homelessness The need for systemic change and multi-angle advocacy Stickbugs

Mike Schmidt, General Counsel for the Urban League of Portland and former Multnomah County DA talks to Kat and Kip about the upcoming Legislative Day of Action in Salem for the Urban League of Portland as well as other important and timely issues.  Please sign up ASAP at this link or call 503.280.2600 to volunteer.  *no, really this time. We can math. Kind of.

Kip and new co-host Kat Mahoney  talk about Progress Portland moving into 2026, a little about Kat's background, and about being rude New Yorkers. *Not really. But whatevs

We're back after a long and much needed break! In this episode, Kip and Kat talk with Kristle Delihanty of PDX Saints Love about the org's origins, housing vs. shelter, and the city's fuckery around grant money.

Today is a short episode that sprang from a conversation I had with Kip on July 24, the day after a meeting of PCCEP (Portland Committee on Community-Engaged Policing). PCCEP is a 13-person committee of citizens tasked with monitoring the Portland Police Bureau's implementation of the DOJ Settlement Agreement, which is an important job.  In June of this year, a man tragically died in police custod...

Prentice Onayemi has carved out a varied and unique place here in Portland. He is a founding partner of Grains of Salt, a consulting form that supports community-driven projects at the intersection of the arts and real estate; he is co-founder of Foglight Farms, a BIPOC-owned and operated farm in Hillsboro; and he applies his rich bass to narrating audio books. Tim and Prentice share a history the...

The unsinkable Steph Routh joins us, fresh from a stint working with Senator Khanh Pham in Salem. Steph ran for City Council last year and was our very first guest, and continues to be a force of nature in local politics and activism. We talk about Electrify Oregon, the Mamdani Effect, the social benefits of biking, and much more.

Kip and Tim interview self-proclaimed "local nuisance" Kat Mahoney, attorney, board member of Portland Neighbors Welcome, former executive director of Sisters of the Road, and general rabble rouser. This is officially a "shit-talking" episode, so you'll hear some dirt. Topics include the Mayor's shelter-heavy approach to homelessness and protesting past, present and future in Portland.  Kat Mahone...

Former Multnomah County District Attorney Mike Schmidt joins us to talk about his work as General Council at Urban League of Portland and his new podcast, The Schmidt Show PDX . Mike turned lemons into lemonade, turning the expensive negative campaign against him into promotion for a podcast that focuses on the forces for good in Portland. We also shoot the proverbial sh*t about the Current City C...

We talk to two insiders providing homeless services downtown to get deeper into what Portland needs to do better. Liz Starke is Development Director of Rose Haven, a day shelter and community center serving women, children and gender non-conforming folks experiencing the trauma of abuse, loss of home and other disruptive life challenges. Justine Ziegler is Development Director at Outside In, helpi...

No interview this time, just a check-in on what's happening with the City Council, including the potential ban of algorithmic price fixing of rents and the proposal from Councilors Avalos and Green for creating social housing. Also we attempt to keep our focus on how national politics impact us locally but end up going off on tangents and rants (unavoidable these days). 

There's a movement afoot to bring universal health care to all Oregonians, and it is looking more likely every day. Our guest is Valdez Bravo, President of Health Care For All Oregon. Valdez tells us the ins and outs of the plan, and explains that it is far more expensive to maintain the system we have and exclude people than to actually provide for everyone. 

We're back, sorry for the long silence! This week we're talking with Mark Douglass, a highly experienced addiction therapist, about what works and what doesn't in Portland and Oregon when we talk about drugs. Mark talks about what was wrong with Measure 110, how to create better policy, and crafting individual treatment for people that isn't one-size-fits-all.

Blair Stenvick, Communications Manager at Basic Rights Oregon, joins us to talk about LGBTQ2SIA+ rights in the Trump era. With friends around us feeling fearful (understandably), we wanted to talk about what sort of advocacy and action can be relied on to keep our queer friends safe.  Samantha Silverman joins Kip and Tim as a guest host (thanks Sam for adding your insight!). 

On December 19th, Kip and I attended the official swearing in of the new Portland City Council, Mayor, and Auditor. We were able to join the press pool and grab interviews with a handful of the new candidates, including Tiffany Koyama Lane, Angelita Morillo, and Mitch Green. The Councilors will begin leading the city on January 2nd, and up to this point have been in intense training sessions. 

Kip and Tim discuss the results of the Portland City Council and County Commission elections, for the most part avoiding the national boondoggle. Topics include the makeup of the new City Council, the incredible people who won and lost, and some misfires by the press that stuck in our craw. 

Kip and Tim check in with Lisa Freeman via Zoom as the election comes down to the wire. Lisa shares her wisdom gained from the campaign trail and some insights into the mind of voters.  Listen in, and vote Lisa Freeman in District 4!

We were thrilled to get an interview with Liv Osthus, aka Viva Las Vegas, the non-politician candidate for Portland Mayor. Liv talks how the land we live on is sacred and we need to be good stewards of it while we make sure there is housing and services for everyone regardless of age, income, or situation. She discusses listening intently to voters, learning about interactions with people in crisi...

Hey everyone! We recorded this quick check-in with Timur Ender about a week ago, so keep that in mind if the info is slightly out of date. Timur is running in District 1, and he's got an encyclopedic understanding of the issues facing East Portland. Please vote for him (along with Steph Routh and Candace Avalos) in D1!  Also, please join Kip and Tim TONIGHT, Monday 10/28, at 6pm at Migration Brewi...

Meghan Moyer, Multnomah County District 1 candidate, joins Tim in the studio to talk about her deep disappointment in the county's slipshod approach to housing and homelessness. This is one of the best discussions of the problems with Portland's housing policy that we've ever heard. Please tune in, and vote Moyer for District 1 (which encompasses most of the West Side).  Also please join us this M...

Hey there Portlanders! Have you voted yet? We've rushed to get this 4th and final Voter's Guide out, and unfortunately we've ended up with a sound quality issue in the recording (hope it's not too annoying). We still have a lot to say about these amazing candidates in District 4, so give it a listen!