City News Round Up: Friday, September 11, 2026 

UPCOMING MEETINGS

• Please check our agenda center for the full schedule of upcoming Council, Committees, Boards, and Commission meetings, and to view agendas, backup materials, and videos from past meetings. 
• Read a recap of the September 9 City Council meeting. The next City Council meeting is Monday, September 21 at 5:00 PM. 

LATEST NEWS AND CITY EVENTS

• This week Spurwink and the City announced a new partnership between Spurwink's Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic and the City's Housing Opportunities for People in Encampments Program, creating a direct pathway to same-day behavioral health services and ongoing support for individuals experiencing homelessness as they transition into permanent housing.
• In conjunction with the anniversaries of two deadly fires in Portland related to smoking materials, the City’s Fire Department and Housing Safety Office are issuing an advisory to residents and landlords regarding the dangers of improper disposal of smoking materials.
• The Forest Avenue Redesign Project will be on next week's Sustainability and Transportation Committee agenda for Wednesday, September 16th. City staff will present and seek endorsement of a demonstration phase design of the recommended reconfiguration of Forest Avenue from Bedford Street/Baxter Boulevard to Revere Street. The design includes changing the existing two travel lanes in each direction to one lane in each direction with a center turn lane, new and enhanced pedestrian crossings, adding bike lanes, and changes to on-street parking. The meeting begins at 5 PM. Read the agenda materials. 
• Learn life-saving adult emergency skills with our Maternal & Child Health nurses at the Portland Public Library on September 17 (10:30 AM – 12:00 PM). The event is free and open to all; these hands-on skills will help you act fast and save lives! Pre-registration requested.
• Along with Portland Trails, we're excited to celebrate the grand opening of the Stroudwater Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Wednesday, September 18, at 1:30 PM. 
• Our next FREE Infant/Child CPR and First Aid class for parents and caregivers is on September 24, 4:30 PM – 6:00 PM. SPOTS ARE LIMITED; pre-registration is required! 
• We’re hosting the first-ever Waterfront Summit, September 29, 3 - 6 PM at Gulf of Maine Research Institute! Portland property owners, business owners, and all waterfront stakeholders are invited for a discussion on the future of our waterfront. 
• Join us Wednesday, September 30, at the Portland Museum of Art for A More Walkable Portland, a special presentation by Jeff Speck, renowned urban planner and author of Walkable City, the best-selling urban planning book of the 21st century. The event will feature a panel discussion on Portland in Motion, the City’s first comprehensive transportation plan in more than 30 years, and a conversation about a more walkable future for Portland. The event is free and open to the public; RSVPs are encouraged. Doors open at 6:30; program begins at 7 PM

CITY SERVICES

• You can now sign up to receive "Cruise Ship Outbreak Alerts" through our City Alerts! If the City is notified by the Maine CDC or Federal CDC about a docking cruise ship with an outbreak, anyone enrolled in this notification group will receive a message through our mass notification system. Sign up here; learn more about Tourism and Public Health!
• The mil rate for Fiscal Year 2027 has been set. Property owners will receive their tax bills in the mail by mid-September. The first half of property tax payments are due on October 16, 2026, and the second half is due on March 12, 2027. 
• Landlords & tenants: Please note that the new allowable rent increase per the consumer price index (CPI) as part of the rent control ordinance has been published for calendar year 2027. We also published the new limit on non-owner occupied short-term rentals for units on the mainland for 2027.
• Absentee ballots can now be requested for the November 3 election. Request online through the State’s website, or learn other ways on our website. Ballots will be sent out once they are ready in October. Maine residents can now register to vote, update registration details, or change party status online. 

SHAPE YOUR CITY

• Thank you to everyone who turned out at the Franklin Street Open House! The project team appreciates all of the great conversations and the input we received. If you missed the Reimagining Franklin Street public meeting on September 10, there's still time to provide feedback on the Draft Street Concept Plan. Comments will be accepted through September 25th. Visit the Reimagining Franklin Street website to find the plan, provide comments, and review background for the project.
• Take the Safe Streets for All 2026: Post Installation Survey! Greater Portland Council of Governments wants to hear your thoughts about the temporary safety improvement projects in place on Commercial Street in Portland.
• The City of Portland’s 2025-2026 Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) is available for review and comment. All interested persons are invited to submit written or verbal comments by September 21. This report, submitted annually to HUD, includes performance and evaluation measures concerning CDBG, HOME Investment Partnerships, and Emergency Solutions Grant programs.
• Take this quick community survey about the Portland Urban Forest Management Plan - open until September 20, 2026.
   

COMMUNITY NEWS

• The 12th Annual Deering Center Porchfest, a free, family event, is this Sunday, September 13, 12 to 5 PM.
• Rally 4 Recovery, a free, family-friendly community event, will take place Sunday, September 13 at Payson Park.
• Creative Portland presents the 6th Biennial Portland Arts & Culture Summit on September 22 at the University of Southern Maine Portland campus to convene the arts community for connection and cultural updates!
• You’re invited to a Portland City Council Candidates Forum for the District 4 and 5 seats on October 14 at The Light Church.
• Portland Downtown has opened a new public restroom at 87 Center Street that is monitored by a front desk attendant and cleaned regularly by Portland Downtown ambassador staff. The restroom is available to the public seven days a week during normal business hours, with the goal of expanding hours as capacity allows.
• Bookmark our Park Events Calendar for a list of local events.
• Affordable Homeownership at Dougherty Commons & Lambert Co-op: One 3 Bedroom Condo and one 1 Bedroom Condo ready for move-in at Dougherty Commons, and 1 & 2 BRs available at Lambert Co-op, move-in April 2027. Visit their website or call Richard at 207-560-4883.
• The Alpha Legal Foundation AmeriCorps Legal Access Navigator Program hosts free civil legal education workshops every Friday, 1-2 PM at the Portland Public Library. 

PUBLIC WORKS UPDATES

• A paving project is underway on High Street (Congress Square to Park Ave). Sections of High Street will be closed to traffic and detoured. Drivers should expect delays and avoid the area if possible. Final paving is expected to be complete mid-October, barring any unforeseen issues. This project is weather-dependent.
• Congress Square Project Update: The new substantial completion date for this project is October 31, 2026.
• Construction work is underway in and around City Hall's Ganley Plaza; City Hall will remain accessible for the entirety of the work. Read the full details about this project.
• Update: 2026 Ocean Ave Sidewalk Project
• Update: Union Branch Pathway Project
• Check the full 2026 Paving Projects list for the latest updates.
• In August, our Public Works team installed five speed humps along Ocean Avenue as part of our ongoing Vision Zero initiative. These traffic calming installations will help moderate vehicle speeds along the Ocean Avenue Elementary School walking route.⁠ Three speed humps were also installed in Payson Park, in partnership with our Parks Division as part of the Payson Park Traffic Calming Project.⁠ 
• We also implemented new traffic signal timings designed to enhance pedestrian safety along the Washington Avenue/Auburn Street corridor as part of our ongoing Vision Zero commitment to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
• Licensed Commercial Waste Haulers: Reminder to residents and contractors that City Code requires the use of a City licensed waste hauler for all building renovations or construction projects. Hiring a licensed hauler ensures compliance with City Code regarding disposal methods. 
• Ongoing: Neighborhood Drainage and Sewer System Repairs 2025-2028. 

PARKS, RECREATION AND FACILITIES UPDATES

• Read the latest updates in the August 2026 newsletter or subscribe. 
• Granite stair upgrades set to begin along Back Cove, work is projected to begin between late September and early October 2026.
• Park Ranger Hike Club continues with walks Sept. 12 (Stroudwater Park (152-154 Owls Nest Road) and Sept. 26, 10 AM- 12 PM.
• Join our Director Ethan Hipple and members of Portland Youth Corps alumni for the Portland Parks Conservancy Third Thursday Walk & Talk at North Deering Park on September 17 at 4 PM. Meet in front of the ball field at North Deering Park, 71 Ballpark Drive.
• The Portland Parks Conservancy, in partnership with the City, is developing an Urban Forest Master Plan to create a healthier tree canopy. Check out the project website to learn how to get involved! A public workshop will be held on September 17, 5- 7 PM, at Merrill Auditorium. 
• Join Park Ranger Eli on September 18 at 6 PM for a casual group skate along the Eastern Prom Trail! 
• Portland Recreation is seeking childcare site staff to join our After the Bell program. Help us offer exciting and enriching activities for students (Kindergarten-5th grade), right in their own school.
• The Fall/Winter 2026-2027 Recreation program brochure is here! Find it now on the Portland MyRec portal and in mailboxes soon. Many of our upcoming fall and winter programs are already live.
• After a 9-year hiatus, the Maine Climbing Competition returns this year in Deering Oaks Park on Sunday, September 27.
• Site improvements to the parking lot area at Riverton Trolley Park began August 3. The Reiche Playground Renovation Project is also now underway.
• A Portland MyRec account is the key to all recreation programs in Portland! Create your account household today so you can be ready to register for programs/activities, reserve facilities, access aquatics, and more!
• Safety Alert: Union Branch Multi-Use Pathway Under Construction. Please be aware that the Union Branch Path Trail is still an active construction site.

CITY STAFF & JOB OPPORTUNITIES

• We’re hiring! Learn more about the latest positions: Director, Housing & Economic Development and Housing Program Specialist.
• We are also hiring across several departments, with a variety of open positions: healthcare roles (RNs/CNAs), trades workers, before and after-school recreation counselors, lifeguards, 911 dispatchers, community health workers, and more. Come make a difference with us! Our wellness benefits are award winning.