The Portland City Council approves the foreclosure of six properties in dispute

The City Council has given the green light to the foreclosure of six properties known for their ongoing problems and the crime in their neighborhoods. 

The Bureau of Development Services had previously imposed several liens on these properties due to various code violations, recommending foreclosure last November. Commissioner Dan Ryan noted that these properties have long been a burden on their communities, often attracting squatters and drug users. 

“I am particularly concerned about the property at 5923 Detroit Ave.,” Ryan mentioned. “We have received written complaints from residents about fires, theft, RVs, sewer issues, drug users, and drug dealing. It’s a site that has caused a lot of distress to neighbors for quite some time. These residents are begging the city for help because everyone else has let them down. We cannot make them wait another year for change.” 

Although the foreclosure process is underway, the City Council acknowledged that the buildings could continue to present the same problems during the transition period. Carmen Rubio, Mingus Mapps, and Ryan, the commissioners overseeing the process, will try to create a plan to keep the properties clean and safe until a suitable buyer is found. 

“We hope the full process will take about a year and these properties will end up in the hands of good owners,” said Mingus Mapps. 

Some of the properties the city seized on Wednesday include the site where a warehouse fire released asbestos into the Willamette River in 2017, and the remains of a butane explosion that completely destroyed a house and killed its former owner. 

Addresses of the seized properties: 

3316 SE 131st Ave. 

12914 NE Halsey St. 

1300 N. River St. 

5923 N. Detroit Ave. 

6214 N. Kerby Ave. 

3735 SE Martins St. 

“These properties represent a public safety risk both for neighbors and for our first responders, who are called to handle incidents involving trespassers, structural failures, and fires,” said Rubio. “While the process is lengthy, this is a crucial tool to address these troubled properties.” 

Number of foreclosures available: 6

By Elias DaSilva | September 16, 2024.