Portland to Pay $8.5M Settlement to 26 Descendants of Displaced Black Families

The city of Portland will pay $8.5 million in settlement funds to 26 descendants of Black Portlanders driven from homes and businesses for development projects from the late 1950s through the ’70s.

The group of descendants filed a federal lawsuit in late 2022 arguing that the city of Portland, Emanuel Legacy Medical Center and Prosper Portland conspired to destroy a previously thriving Black neighborhood. The civil rights suit filed in U.S. District Court described how the three organizations destroyed the homes and businesses of the descendants.

On Thursday, Portland City Council unanimously signed on to a settlement between the parties. The original financial settlement proposed to the council was $2 million. After testimony from a dozen community members, including descendants, all 12 councilors voted to increase the amount another $6.5 million.

Read more at Oregon Public Broadcasting