Updated Schedule for Finance Committee Review of FY20 Recommended Budget

Over the next several weeks there will be nine additional meetings on the FY20 City and School budgets in addition to the six which have previously been held. At last night's Finance Committee meeting, the Committee was unable to complete discussion on th...

FY20 Municipal Budget Currently Under Review by Council

The City Council’s Finance Committee is in the midst of reviewing the City Manager’s Recommended FY20 Municipal Budget. Upcoming Council and public review of the budget will take place at the following times:

Finance Committee Meetings...

City Celebrates Community Development Week April 22 - 26

In celebration of National Community Development Week, the City and its partner organizations are hosting a series of site tours around Portland. The tours will offer an inside look into the partner organization’s operations, highlighting the po...

Save the Date: Spring Leaf Pickup Will Be Held April 29 - May 10

Spring leaf curbside collection will be held April 29 - May 10 this year. Residents will need to use the appropriate lawn/leaf bags. Please place your bags at curbside on your normal trash and recycling collection day. Please note that lawn/leaf bags may ...

City Manager Presents Recommended FY20 Municipal Budget

Portland City Manager Jon Jennings presented his recommended municipal budget for Fiscal Year 2020 (FY20), which begins July 1, 2019, to the City Council at its April 8 meeting. The $263.4 million budget results in a 2.9% city-side property tax rate incre...

TRAFFIC ALERT: Danforth Street Utility Construction

NEUCO, the contractor for Unitil’s SURE project, began replacement of the gas mains and service lines in the area of Danforth St. between Vaughan St. and State St. Construction started on April 15^th and is expected to take approximately eight we...

Portland Receives Small Business Friendly Community Award

The City of Portland is pleased to announce that the U.S Conference of Mayors and its Partner America Program selected Portland to receive the Inaugural 2019 Partner America Small Business Friendly Community Award. According to the US Conference of Mayors...

Preble Street and Marginal Way Intersection Closed for Construction This Weekend

The Preble Street Ext and Marginal Way intersection will be closed this weekend starting at 6:00 AM Saturday, April 20 to Sunday, April 21 at 9:00 PM as part of the ongoing sewer construction work.

Traffic going west bound (from Franklin St) on Marginal Wa...

City Manager Selects Heather Brown to Serve as Assistant City Manager

City Manager Jon Jennings is pleased to announce he has selected Heather Brown to serve as the new Assistant City Manager for the City of Portland. The City conducted a search process for an Assistant City Manager to replace Michael Sauschuck, who left to...

Digital Imaging for Revaluation Project Begins Monday, April 8

On Monday, April 8, 2019, the City of Portland will start the street-level digital imagery part of the 2019 Revaluation Project. The City has contracted Tyler Technologies to digitally photograph the exterior of every property in the city and validate add...

Preble Street Extension Closure Set for April 5 -7

The ongoing construction of the Preble Street Sewer Separation project will require the closure of Preble Street Extension from Friday, April 5th at 9 PM through Sunday, April 7 at 9:00 PM. The closure will allow the City’s contractor to install a deep ma...

City Celebrates National Public Health Week April 1 - 7

The City of Portland’s Public Health Department is celebrating National Public Health Week April 1 - 7 and invites the public to join in. 

Help kick off the week by taking a "tour" of Portland’s Public Health Division to see all they hav...

City Hires New Director of Oxford Street Shelter

The City of Portland has hired Sara Fleurant to be its next director of the Oxford Street Shelter. Ms. Fleurant has worked for the City of Portland for nine years now in a variety of roles. In her new role, she will be responsible for managing the adminis...

Portland Jetport to Host Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Forum

The Portland International Jetport and the Housing, Purchasing, and Public Works Departments of the City of Portland are offering an open house and workshop for small area companies interested in becoming a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) on April...

Preble Street Sewer Separation Phase 1 Begins March 18

The City of Portland’s Water Resources Division of Public Works, in keeping with the City’s EPA Consent Decree and Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) long term control plan, is preparing to start construction on March 18 of a sewer separation project located w...

City Selects New Director of IT & New Director of Innovation and Performance Management

City Manager Jon Jennings is pleased to announce that he has selected Hanna Pickering to serve as the next Director of Information Technology and Lena Geraghty to serve as the first Director of Innovation & Performance Management. Ms. Pickering&rs...

Portland Disability Advisory Committee Creates PSAs and Co-Hosts Speaker Series

Members of the Portland Disability Advisory Committee (PDAC) recently created three public service announcements (PSAs) that share their personal insights about living with a disability and challenge many misconceptions about individuals with disabilities...

City Launches "Ask the Zoning Staff" Appointments on Thursdays at City Hall

Starting on March 14, the City of Portland’s Permitting and Inspections Department will offer the opportunity for customers to meet with a Zoning Staff member for 30 minutes to ask questions. Appointments are available from 9 AM to 12 PM every T...

USM Roundabout Public Art Meeting - March 21, 2019

The Portland Public Art Committee (PPAC) announces a public meeting on Thursday, March 21 on the topic of artwork selection for the new roundabout on Brighton Avenue.  The meeting will focus on the art component of the project and will include a ...

Public Health Nurses Host Spanish Story Time for Families with Kids Up to 5 Years Old

The City of Portland Public Health's Maternal and Child Health Nurses are now offering a Story Hour in Spanish at their “Baby Hub" time. This is a free to the public month-long series beginning March 19 on Tuesday afternoons from 2-3 pm at the Reiche...

City Manager Releases Recommendations for FY20 CDBG Allocations

City Manager Jon Jennings released his recommendations to the City Council for FY20 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding today. More information is available on the City's CDBG webpage. The City Council will hold two public hearings r...

City Manager Announces Plans for Police Chief Search

City Manager Jon Jennings today announced that the City will be conducting a national search for its next Police Chief.

Qualified candidates are encouraged to submit applications to the city beginning next month and following a review of submissions, selec...

MDOT Hosts Public Meeting to Discuss Veranda Street Bridge Replacement

Please join the Maine Department of Transportation (MaineDOT) at a formal public meeting to discuss the replacement of the Veranda Street Bridge, which carries I-295 over Veranda Street. Located 0.24 of a mile northerly of Route 1, Portland.

Representative...

First Public Meeting for Integrated Water Resources Plan to be Held Feb 27

The Portland Department of Public Works Water Resources Division is holding its first public information meeting for the City’s Integrated Water Resources Management Plan on Wednesday, Feb. 27, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the DPW Training Room at...

Police Department's Community Survey Available Until March 8!

The Portland Police department wants to remind residents and business owners that there is still time to complete the community survey launched on January 30. The survey about crime and overall safety in the city will help the Police Department in its cri...

Tyler Technologies to Conduct Property Reassessment for Portland

The City of Portland’s Assessor’s Office has announced that it has retained Tyler Technologies CLT Appraisal Services™ to conduct a multi-year reassessment project for the City of Portland. The project will start in 2019 and ...

India Street STD Clinic Now Offers Online Appointment Scheduling

Patients can now make appointments online for the India Street STD Clinic. Click here to book now. 

Limited appointments are offered on Tuesday afternoons followed by drop-in hours (first come, first serve).

Thursday is now all appointments. If app...

City Issues RFP for Bike Share Program in Portland

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The City of Portland is looking for companies to pilot a bike share program in Portland. The City has issued a Request for Proposals for the design, marketing, operation, and maintenance of a dockless bike share system for...

Inaugural Concert to Showcase Portland's Performing Arts Gems at Merrill Auditorium

Creative Portland and its co-promoters The City of Portland, The Crewe Foundation & David E. Shaw in association with concert sponsors Knack Factory, Coffee by Design, The Press Hotel, Bayside Bowl & State Theatre present HEAR, HERE!  An ...

Finance Committee Holds Public Hearing & Vote on Responsible Contracting Proposal

The Portland City Council’s Finance Committee will hold a public hearing and is expected to vote on Mayor Strimling’s responsible contracting proposal at 5:30 PM on Monday, February 11, 2019 in the Council Chambers. The Mayor is proposing an amendment to ...

Portland Police Launch Community Survey

The Police Department wants to know how you feel about crime and overall safety in the city. To help in this effort, the Department is launching an online survey of Portland residents and businesses. Developed in conjunction with the University of New Eng...

Park Ave Overnight Parking Restrictions Back in Effect

The City of Portland would like to remind residents that the overnight parking restrictions along Park Avenue for street maintenance have returned now that construction of the bike lane is complete. Signs have been re-installed and Parking Control Officer...

Mayor Strimling Gives Fourth State of the City Address

Mayor Ethan K. Strimling delivered his fourth State of the City address on January 14, 2019 in the Council Chamber at City Hall. The address focused heavily on the city’s strengths and recent successes as well as the policy goals the Mayor would like to s...

Developer Pulls Portland Waterfront Hotel Proposal

The City of Portland announced today that the development team Fisherman’s Wharf Portland, LLC has submitted a request to the Portland Planning Board to amend its current application for a conditional rezoning at 184 Commercial Street. The amend...

Portland Chamber & Office of Economic Opportunity Collaborate on Strategic Plan to Aid New Mainers

The Portland Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Portland Office of Economic Opportunity have created a strategic plan to help foster a strong sense of belonging in every aspect of city life and a meaningful inclusion and connectivity between our raciall...

Portland's Disability Advisory Committee to Host Art Exhibition January 7 - 18

The Portland Disability Advisory Committee cordially invites the public to attend Perspectives, an art exhibition composed of work created by The Art Department and Publication Studio at Portland City Hall from...

City Names Waterfront Working Group Members to Address Key Issues During Six-Month Moratorium

Public Input Sought for City's Integrated Water Resources Management Plan

The Portland Department of Public Works Water Resources Division is holding its first public information meeting for the City’s Integrated Water Resources Management Plan on Thursday, January 9, beginning at 5:30 p.m., at the DPW Training Room a...

New Development Impact Fees Go Into Effect December 19, 2018

In November 2018, the Portland City Council voted to adopt an impact fee ordinance for all new development projects. The new rules and regulations go into effect on December 19 and apply to all building permit applications submitted following this date. T...

City Reminds Residents of Winter Storm Operations Information

After getting off to an earlier than usual snow storm season, the City would like to remind residents of winter storm operations information as we head into the new year. The Department of Public Works is ready for the winter storm season, in which they c...

City & ReVision Energy to 'Flip the Switch' on Ocean Avenue Solar Array on December 18

The City of Portland and ReVision Energy will celebrate the completion of the solar array on the Ocean Avenue Landfill on Tuesday, December 18 at 9 AM.  The array, comprised of 2,816 solar panels spread over 4 acres, will produce 1.2 million kilo...

City Wins Record Judgment Against Non-Responsive Landlord

The City of Portland received a decision from the Maine Supreme Judicial Court upholding a record favorable judgment today against a non-responsive landlord in City of Portland v. Sulan Chau. The Law Court upheld the lower court ruling that imposed penalt...

City Staff Proposes 180-Day Moratorium for Central Waterfront Zoning District

The City of Portland is proposing to institute a 180-day moratorium on most non-marine development within the Waterfront Central Zone (WCZ) in response to significant overburdening of parking, traffic control and waterfront resources in that zone. If adop...

Join Us for a Community Dialogue for the Commercial Street Operations & Master Plan

The City of Portland, in collaboration with the Greater Portland Council of Governments and engineering consultant WSP USA, Inc., will host a Community Dialogue on Tuesday, December 11 from 6 PM to 8 PM in the Rines Auditorium of the Portland Public Libra...

City Hosts Annual District Meetings

The City of Portland’s annual district meetings will be held throughout the city during the first two weeks of December. The Mayor, City Councilors, City Manager and staff will be available to discuss neighborhood issues and answer questions fro...

City & Development Corporation Honor Four Local Businesses on December 6

Four local Portland businesses/organizations will be recognized on December 6 by the City of Portland and the Portland Development Corporation (PDC) at this year’s annual awards ceremony for their role in expanding the city’s ...

Bramhall Square to Shine this Winter with New Pandora Lights - Join Us December 3 at 7PM

Thanks to a new public-private partnership between the City of Portland, Maine Medical Center, and the Parkside Neighborhood Association, Bramhall Square will be adorned with Pandora lights this winter. The first annual Light Up Bramhall Square&a...

Spectrum, City Promote Digital Literacy with Coding for Change Event on Thursday, November 29

More than two dozen low-income families and teens will learn valuable digital-literacy skills to help them succeed in today’s digital economy during a Coding for Change event on Thursday, Nov. 29, presented by Spectrum, the City of Portland, the...

Woodfords Corner Public Art Installed - Join Us for "Tree Lighting" on November 15

The City of Portland and the Portland Public Art Committee would like to invite the public to attend a “tree lighting” ceremony on November 15 to celebrate the installation of new public artwork, Luminous Arbor, by local artist Aaron T...

Official Elections Results for the November 6, 2018 Election

The official election results for both the city and state races are now finalized for the November 6, 2018 election. 

Final totals can be viewed here. 

Precinct data can be viewed here. 

Read on...

Spectrum Moves Public Access Programming to Channels 1301 and 1303

Spectrum Cable has moved Portland Media Center's public access programming that used to be on Channels 2 and 5 to channels 1301 and 1303. Portland Public Schools channel 3 will become channel 1302. These assignments follow the PEG Media Acronym; P for pub...

Portland Parks Conservancy Names Executive Director

The Portland Parks Conservancy is excited to announce that it has named Nan Cumming to serve as its first Executive Director. The Conservancy was launched by Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. in early 2018 to help support the numerous parks, trails, open spac...

Official Election Results Are Now Available for All City Races

Official election results are now available for all city races. State results, included on this report, are still being finalized.

VIEW:

Official city candidate election results for November 6, 2018

Official city referendum election results for November 6, ...

Portland Launches Enhanced Mass Notification Solution

The City of Portland officially launched an enhanced version of its mass notification services via www.portlandmaine.gov/stayconnected. The new solution, provided through CivicPlus’ CivicReady system, has significantly improved the way in which ...

Workforce Housing Units in Portland For Sale & Rent

Know someone looking to buy a home in Portland? Did you know the City’s Planning & Urban Development Department works with developers to make some of their new homes priced for average incomes? 

Right now there are three condominium ...

NEW Interactive Map of Evergreen Cemetery

We are excited to offer a new interactive map of Evergreen Cemetery. This interactive map will allow you to search for loved ones and the many famous burials at Evergreen Cemetery. Searching can be done by name, age and other parameters. Click here to acc...

Portland Earns Six Extra Points on Human Rights Campaign's MEI 2018 Scorecard

The City of Portland is proud to announce that it earned six extra points this year on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Municipal Equality Index (MEI), with a total score of 86, the highest score in Maine, and an increase of 11 points since 201...

City Hall Now Accepts US Passport Applications

The City of Portland is pleased to announce that Portland City Hall now accepts passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. U.S. citizens planning international travel may apply for their passports Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM t...

Silver Bullet Recycling Containers Moving from Angelo's Acre by October 31

The City’s Public Works Department will be removing the publicly accessible drop-off recycling containers currently located on Commercial Street in the Angelo’s Acre lot (441 Commercial Street) by October 31, 2018.

There will ...

City Seeks New Director of Oxford Street Shelter

The City of Portland will begin advertising today for a new director of the Oxford Street Shelter following the news that its current director, Rob Parritt, will be leaving his full-time role in mid-October. Parritt will continue to assist the City on a p...

Councilor Cook and City Staff Host Ludlow Pond Public Meeting - September 25 at 7:00 PM

The public is invited to join Councilor Kim Cook and City staff for a community discussion about Ludlow Pond. During this meeting you will hear about the history of the pond, current management practices, and changes made since the last public meeting, wh...

Portland Hosts Autonomous Vehicle Public Forum - Join Us September 27 at 5 PM

The City of Portland will host a public forum on Thursday, September 27, 2018 to discuss its pilot project with INRIX, and hear from experts about the deployment of Highly Automated Vehicle (HAV) shuttles on public roads. The forum will be held from 5:00 ...

City Manager Names Gautreau Permanent Fire Chief

City Manager Jon Jennings announced today that he has named Keith Gautreau to serve as Fire Chief permanently. He had been serving as Interim Chief since April when former Chief Jackson retired. 

“I’ve been impressed with Chief...

Portland Fire Department Hosts Federation of Firefighters 55th Annual Convention; Parade on Sept 22

On Saturday, September 22, the Portland Fire Department, in conjunction with the Maine State Federation of Firefighters 55th Annual Convention, will celebrate its 250th year of service to the citizens of Portland with a parade beginning at 10:00 AM.

The pa...

City Celebrates Welcoming Week

For the second year in a row, the City of Portland will proudly celebrate Welcoming Week by hosting a series of interactive events beginning September 14th to recognize immigrant contributions to our community.  Welcoming Week demonstrates that i...

Join Us for a Ribbon Cutting of the New Park Ave Separated Bike Lane Project - September 14 at 2 PM

City of Portland officials will celebrate the installation of the new Park Ave separated bike lane project with a ribbon cutting this Friday, September 14, 2018 at 2:00 PM at the corner of State Street and Park Avenue. 

The streetscape project inc...

Report Finds Foreign-Born Residents Contributed $1.2 Billion to Portland-Metro GDP in 2016

Immigrants in the Portland, ME metro area contributed $1.2 billion to the area’s GDP in 2016 and paid $133 million in federal taxes and $62 million in state and local taxes, according to a new report by New American Economy (NAE), in partnership...

Know a Great Business? Nominate Them for One of Our Awards!

The City of Portland and the Portland Development Corporation (PDC), the City’s commercial loan and granting arm, are seeking nominations for their annual Economic Development Awards. This is the first year that nominations are being sought from...

City to Host September 8 Community Forum to Discuss Homeless Services Center

The City of Portland is hosting a community forum to discuss the proposed homeless services center on Saturday, September 8th from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM at Hannaford Hall at the University of Southern Maine. 

The forum will begin with an overview of...

City Launches “Ask the Plan Reviewer” Appointments on Tuesdays at City Hall

Starting August 14, the City of Portland's Permitting and Inspections Department will offer the opportunity for customers to meet with a Plan Reviewer for 30 minutes and ask questions. Appointments are available from 9 AM to 12 PM every Tuesday morning. A...

Finance Committee Votes to Appropriate $2.11M of Property Sale Proceeds

The City Council’s Finance Committee voted unanimously on Thursday, August 2 to appropriate $2.11M of property sale proceeds from the $3.3M sale of 0 Hancock Street. In August 2017, the City Council approved a $3.3 million sale of 48,000 square ...

Park Avenue Separated Bike Lane & Streetscape Project Gets Underway

Over the next three weeks, the City of Portland’s Department of Public Works (DPW) will begin the installation of the Park Avenue Separated Bike Lane & Streetscape Project. This work is largely weather-dependent, but the goal is to complete ...

Portland Girls Basketball Teams Kick Off 4-Game Tournament with Team from Japanese Sister-City

On August 9th, opening ceremonies for the Portland portion of the sister-city sports exchange with Shinagawa, Japan will take place at 10 AM at the Portland Expo with 13-15 year old girls from the Portland travel team, the YES summer league team, and a te...

Ribbon Cutting for Children's Odyssey at Former Reed School on August 9

Developers Collaborative will hold a Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Children’s Odyssey at their newly renovated location on Thursday, August 9th, 2018, 3:30 PM, at the Reed School, 19 Libby Street in Portland.  Speakers at the event will i...

New Temporary Public Art Coming to the Waterfront

The Portland Public Art Committee announces a new temporary art installation by artist Andy Rosen called TREAD coming to the Eastern waterfront this summer.  TREAD is a temporary artwork comprised of two deer on stilts among the abandoned dock pi...

More Community Based Solutions to Prevent Graffiti Available

The City of Portland is excited to announce that it is continuing two popular programs in order to prevent and remove graffiti and encouraging two other new resources. Following up on the effort to paint utility boxes in 2016, five additional utility boxe...

City's Job Creation Grant Program Now Accepting Applications from Portland Businesses

The City of Portland is once again launching a new round of the Business Assistance Program for Job Creation (BAP), and applications are now being accepted. The Program provides matching grants to Portland businesses for the creation of one or two full-ti...

City Bans Plastic Straws in Clock Tower Cafe; Urges Other Businesses to Follow Suit

The City of Portland has made the decision to ban plastic straws from the Clock Tower Cafe, located within City Hall, and is urging other businesses to follow suit. City Manager Jon Jennings made the decision at the July 18 Sustainability & Transporta...

Portland One of Seven to Pilot New INRIX Autonomous Vehicle Platform

The City of Portland is excited to announce it is one of seven cities and groups to pilot INRIX AV Road Rules, a platform that lays the foundation for the city to communicate with operators for safe and effective deployment of Highly Automated Vehicles (H...

Chamber Businesses Give Portland Opportunity Crew a Boost

The City of Portland is excited to announce that several donations have recently been received to support the continuation of the Portland Opportunity Crew, the City’s panhandling-to-work program. The Portland Community Chamber of Commerce has b...

July 9 Community Forum to Discuss Sign Regulations

The Department of Planning and Urban Development will kick-off the process for updating its sign regulations with a Community Forum on July 9^th from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM in Rm 24 at City Hall. As part of the larger project of rewriting the City of Portland L...

Housing & Community Development Accepting Housing Trust Fund Applications

The City of Portland’s Division of Housing and Community Development will accept applications as of July 1 for Housing Trust Funds used towards the development of affordable housing in the city of Portland.

For fiscal year 2018-2019, the City is ...

City Offers Training on New Online Permitting & Planning Submission System

The City’s Planning and Urban Development Department, Permitting and Inspections Department, and Department of Public Works invite the public to attend an informational training session on July 11, 2018 to learn about Citizen Self-Service (CSS)....

Council's Housing Committee Meets Wednesday, June 27 - Public Comment Taken on Two Agenda Items

The City Council’s Housing Committee will next meet on Wednesday, June 27 at 5:30 PM in Room 24 of City Hall. The Committee will be reviewing and providing a recommendation to the City Council on the following items:

1. HOME Affordable Housing Devel...

City Unveils Recommendation for Location of New Homeless Services Center

The City of Portland is pleased to unveil the recommendation for the location of a new homeless services center, based on extensive input from staff and the public. The new services center will replace the adult emergency shelter currently located on Oxfo...

Renovation of Allen Avenue Fire Station to Begin This Fall

Construction to renovate the Allen Avenue fire station is slated to begin this fall following a fire at the station last October. City officials have been working over the last several months on the new design, including touring other newly built fire sta...

City Honors Adele Masengo Ngoy on World Refugee Day

In honor of World Refugee Day, the City of Portland is recognizing the contributions and resilience of those forced to flee from their homelands due to violence, persecution, or natural disasters, and is celebrating the vibrant refugee and immigrant commu...

Parking in Portland Just Got Easier - Portland Launches Mobile Parking App

Parking in Portland just got easier!

Portland, say hello to the most convenient way to pay for parking – the PassportParking® app! What are the benefits of using PassportParking?

• Pay on the go:
  • Pay quickly and securely with your ph...

June 14 Public Meeting for Park Avenue Protected Bike Lane Project

On Thursday, June 14, 2018, the City's Department of Public Works will hold a public meeting for the Park Avenue Protected Bike Lane Project. The meeting will be held in the cafeteria at King Middle School at 92 Deering Avenue from 6:30 to 8:00 pm.&nb...

Join Us for Park & Play This Summer At a Park Near You!

Join the Portland Parks & Recreation “Play Specialists” as they visit a park near you! They’ll have fun stuff with which to play and they’ll also have fun stuff to do. 

It’s free and open to the public – just stop on by and join in the fun! Lo...

Mayor Strimling to Host Neighborhood Office Hours Over Next Several Months

Beginning Wednesday, June 6, Mayor Ethan Strimling will hold office hours at businesses and schools in neighborhoods around the city and outside on City Hall Plaza for what’s known as "Strimling on the Street." The meeting times are de...

Council's Housing & Economic Development Committee to Hold Joint Meeting on June 5

The Council's Housing Committee will meet on Tuesday, June 5, 2018. The committee will be making HOME funding recommendations for rental housing development projects for:

• Portland Housing Authority - Front Street
• Maine Workforce Housing - 178 Kennebec Stree...

Council to Hold June 4 Workshop Ahead of Regular Council Meeting

The Portland City Council will hold a workshop on June 4, 2018 at 4:00 PM ahead of its regularly scheduled Council meeting at 5:30 PM that evening. The workshop, which will be held in Council Chambers, will involve a presentation on the proposed Munjoy Hi...

City Partners Up to Provide Free Immigrant Entrepreneurship Workshops in June

An Immigrant Entrepreneurship Workshop series is being offered throughout June by the City of Portland to assist New Mainers with starting a business. The workshop will cover the pros and cons of owning your own business, the steps needed for start-up, th...

City Receives Additional $150,000 in CDBG Funds

City Manager Jon Jennings is pleased to announce that the City received $150,457 in additional Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) federal funding than it expected for FY19. Per Council action from April 18, the City is increasing the following items...

Maine Med to Begin Construction on Visitors Parking Garage Addition; Congress St Detour Begins May 7

 Maine Medical Center, in conjunction with the City of Portland, will detour traffic away from Congress Street between Forest and Weymouth streets for eight weeks starting May 7.

The detour will accommodate a large construction crane needed to add...

Portland’s Public Health Division to Co-Host Community Health Fair

On Thursday, May 17, staff of the Public Health Division will co-host a community health fair with members of Maine Medical Center’s Nursing Professional Excellence Council. This event will take place during National Prevention Week (May 13-19), an&nb...

Economic Development Committee to Hold Portland Downtown Expansion Public Hearing

The City Council’s Economic Development Committee will hold a public hearing tomorrow night, May 15 at 5:30 PM in Room 209, to discuss the proposed expansion of the Portland Downtown business improvement district. This item was on the Committee&...

First Annual Spring Curbside Leaf & Yard Waste Bag Collection Coming May 7, 2018

The City of Portland announces the 1st annual Spring Curbside Leaf & Yard Waste Bag Collection will occur for two weeks only from May 7th through May 18th, 2018.

Important: The leaves must be in the large, paper biodegradable...

City Announces $33,000 Contribution to Housing Trust Fund from Short-Term Rental Registrations

The City of Portland is pleased to announce that it will be contributing almost $33,000 to the Housing Trust Fund from short-term rental registration fees. The Housing Trust Fund is used to fund affordable housing projects throughout the city. This is the...

Fifth Season of Sundays on the Boulevard to Start May 6

The fifth season of Sundays on the Boulevard will start Sunday, May 6, 2018. Baxter Boulevard, with one of the best views in Portland, will once again be transformed into an urban oasis for bike riding, running, walking, skateboarding and other recreation...

2018 Cruise Season Officially Gets Underway with Arrival of Artania

The 2018 cruise season officially began today with the arrival of the Artania with 1,200 passengers and more than 500 crew members. Portland will see two other ship visits in April and nine ships in May before really kicking into high gear over the summer...

City Joins Partners to Unveil New Public Space Recycling Containers

On Saturday, April 21, as part of the Green Neighbor Family Fest at Deering High School, City officials and representatives from Recycling Partnership, L.L. Bean, Sappi North America, and Catalyst will unveil new public space recycling containers. These u...

Council Committee to Host Public Hearing on Proposed Earned Paid Sick Time Ordinance

The City Council’s Health & Human Services and Public Safety Committee will meet next on Tuesday, April 24 at 5:30 PM in Room 24. The meeting’s agenda will include a public hearing for Mayor Strimling’s proposed earned pa...

Age-Friendly Portland Launches Business Recognition Program

The Age-Friendly Portland Steering Committee launched a new voluntary program this month to help local business owners become more sensitive to the needs of older customers and receive recognition for efforts to make their business more “age-fri...

City Announces Members of Portland Disability Advisory Committee

The City of Portland is pleased to announce the members of the Portland Disability Advisory Committee (PDAC), which advises the City Manager on issues of importance to people with disabilities and also recommends policies, practices, and legislation in ma...

Bedford Street Sewer Separation Project Begins Construction April 16

The Bedford Street Sewer Separation project, which will separate the existing combined sewer in the street to a separate sanitary sewer and a separate storm water drain, will begin construction work the week of April 16. The sanitary sewage will continue ...

City Manager Presents Recommended FY19 Municipal Budget to City Council

Portland City Manager Jon Jennings presented his recommended municipal budget for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19), which begins July 1, 2018, to the City Council at its April 9, 2018 meeting. The $247 million budget results in a 2.6% city-side property tax rate i...

Portland Files Lawsuit in Cumberland County Superior Court Against Opioid Manufacturers

The City of Portland filed a lawsuit today in Cumberland County Superior Court against the manufacturers and distributors of opioid drugs in response to the substantial impact, including the loss of lives, that the opioid epidemic has had on the Portland ...

Washington Avenue Sewer Separation Work Begins April 2

The City of Portland’s contractor, D&C Construction, will begin work April 2 on a sewer separation project within Washington Avenue, and Walnut, North, and Madison Streets, to reduce combined sewer overflow in Back Cove, and comply with EPA ...

Live-Streaming of Council Committee Meetings Begins Tuesday, March 6

The City of Portland is excited to announce that it will begin live-streaming broadcasts of all Council Committee meetings starting with the Economic Development Committee on Tuesday, March 6 at 5:30 PM. All live-stream feeds can be found on the City’s we...

City Funds $36,000 Toward Third Oldest African American Meeting Housing in the Country

The City of Portland recently granted $36,000 to the Committee to Restore the Abyssinian Meeting House non-profit toward the restoration project that aims to preserve and revitalize this important part of Maine’s history and the cultural heritag...

City Selects Members for Office of Economic Opportunity Advisory Team

The City recently selected members to serve on the Office of Economic Opportunity’s Advisory Team in order to help guide its direction and core priorities.

The Advisory Team will advise the City and Office of Economic Opportunity on the strategic...

Committee to Discuss Embarking on Collaborative Climate Action Planning Process with South Portland

The City Council’s Sustainability and Transportation Committee will discuss embarking on a collaborative climate action planning process with the City of South Portland tomorrow night, and will consider recommending an ambitious goal to reduce g...

Congress Square Public Art Project Selected to Receive $30,000 Grant

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Chairman Jane Chu announced more than $25 million in grants as part of the NEA’s first major funding for fiscal year 2018.  The City of Portland, partnering with the Portland Public Art Committee an...

Barron Center Achieves National Recognition as Top Performing Skilled-Nursing Facility

The City of Portland’s Barron Center was recently identified as a top performing skilled nursing facility by the American College of Health Care Administrators (ACHCA). Each year, The ACHCA recognizes top performers with the Eli Pick Facility Le...

Coming to Your Neighborhood: Increased Efficiency and Safety

Starting January 29, 2018, the City of Portland will will begin replacing all of its streetlights with new, energy-efficient LED light fixtures. LED streetlights offer several advantages over older lighting technologies:

• Energy Efficient -- LED lights can ...

City’s Public Health Director Presents Vision to Council’s Health & Human Services Committee

The City’s Public Health Director, Dr. Kolawole Bankole, outlined his vision and goals for the future of the department during last night’s Health & Human Services Committee meeting. Dr. Bankole envisions a responsive public health...

Council Approves Pesticides Ordinance

On Wednesday, January 3, the Portland City Council unanimously approved an ordinance prohibiting the use of synthetic pesticides on most City and private property. The ordinance will go into effect for City properties in July 2018 and for private properti...

City Launches "Ask the Code Officer" Appointments on Thursday Mornings

Starting November 16, the City of Portland's Permitting and Inspections Department will offer the opportunity for customers to meet with a Code Enforcement Officer for 30 minutes and ask questions. Appointments are available from 9 am to 12 pm every Thurs...

City to Soon Operate Temporary Day Shelter Services at Oxford Street Shelter

The City of Portland will soon operate day shelter services at the Oxford Street Shelter on a temporary basis until the planning for a new one-story shelter with on-site services is approved and the new shelter is operational. This means that the shelter ...

City Seeks to Increase Efficiency, Innovation & Safety with Use of LED Street Lighting

The City Council will review and discuss a proposal at its October 16 meeting to convert street lights in Portland from metal halide and high pressure sodium to LED technology, which has long been a goal of the Council and City in order to reduce costs, e...

Mayor Strimling Joins Coalition of 134 Mayors to Launch 10-Minute Walk to a Park Campaign

 Mayor Strimling and the City of Portland’s Parks, Recreation & Facilities Department has joined The Trust for Public Land, National Recreation and Park Association, and Urban Land Institute in launching an historic “10-mi...

Oxford Street Shelter Receives National Alliance to End Homelessness Innovation & Excellence Award

The City of Portland is pleased to announce that the National Alliance to End Homelessness awarded the Oxford Street Shelter as one of its recipients for the 2017 Innovation and Excellence Awards. The Alliance’s Annual Awards Ceremony honors tho...

New Digital Parking Citation Management Software Begins September 22

The days of handwriting parking citations are over for the City of Portland. Passport, an industry leader in parking enforcement and citation management software, has launched its citation management platform for the city. The new tickets will begin appea...

Traffic Update: Woodford's Corner Work Shifts to Underground Utilities

A $5.65 million reconstruction project on a portion of Forest Avenue in Portland will shift to a new phase of work this week. 

Shaw Brothers, the lead contractor on this project, is completing the temporary water work and connections.  Re...

Portland One of 25 Communities Selected for Gateways for Growth Challenge Award

The City of Portland is one of 25 communities chosen by the New American Economy and Welcoming America to receive the Gateways for Growth award, which helps local governments, businesses, and civic leaders develop concrete strategies to integrate immigran...

Upcoming Community Conversations to Prepare for Implementation Phase of Comprehensive Plan

City Planning staff is hitting the streets over the next few weeks to meet with neighborhood associations about first steps for implementation of the new Comprehensive Plan, Portland’s Plan 2030. These "Community Conversations"...

Patrons Oxford Insurance Hosts Open House at New Portland Technology Park Headquarters

Patrons Oxford Insurance held an open house in its new headquarters at the Portland Technology Park on Thursday, September 7th. The company moved into the 2-story, 19,000 square foot office building this summer just as soon as it was complete. This is the...

Council’s HHS Committee to Discuss New Shelter Design & Planning & Host Public Hearing on 9/12

The City Council’s Health & Human Services Committee will once again discuss the design and planning for the new emergency shelter during its September 12, 2017 committee meeting. The meeting will take place at 5:30 PM in the State of Maine ...

City Joins Forces with Elliotsville Plantation to Create Parks Conservancy

The City of Portland and Elliotsville Plantation, Inc. are pleased to announce their ongoing collaboration to create a conservancy in Portland that supports municipal parks, trails, and open spaces. A six-member steering committee, which includes a repres...

Public Health Division Receives $100,000 Grant to Improve Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates

The City of Portland Public Health Division’s Minority Health Program is pleased to announce that the Maine Cancer Foundation has awarded it with a two-year, $100,000 grant to assist the efforts in increasing colorectal cancer screening rates an...

Portland Unveils New Recycling App to Help Residents Stay in the Know

The City of Portland is making it even easier for residents to stay connected about trash collection and recycling with the new Recycle Portland web-tool and mobile app powered by ReCollect. Never miss your waste collection day again and easily find out w...

City Poised to Select Development Proposal for Thames Street Property

The City of Portland is poised to select the chosen development proposal for the sale of a 48,000 square foot portion of the City-owned Thames Street property located along the city’s Eastern Waterfront. The City’s Economic Development...

City Begins Urban Forest Inventory in Portland

 Today, the City of Portland and the USDA Forest Service’s Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program began an urban inventory of trees, green space, and ground cover on public and private land for the greater Portland metropolitan area...