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The following questions were written by guests to county commissioners at the 2025 State of the County. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, answering these questions at the event was not possible. All answers are now below. Watch the full State of the County event.
Q: How soon can we get a new jail built? And how can we help get the funding and help get community support?
The Board of County Commissioners set a goal of developing preliminary design concepts and estimates for a new jail by 2028. A new facility would provide a more modern and efficient facility with the aim to lower recidivism. It would also incorporate efficiencies that protect public resources and preserve safety by meeting current and future needs. An implementation team is meeting to determine what type of facility would best serve the community, and their design concepts will ultimately determine the financing requirements and timeline options that the Board can consider. Community engagement will be sought during this process.
Q: The county approves such things as allowing citizens to reside in RVs, install ADUs next to their homes, short-term rentals, etc., with rules and ordinances. Unfortunately, the rules are not followed and citizens have to live with the consequences. How can the rules be enforced so livability is not jeopardized?
Code Enforcement (CE) is responsible for enforcing parts of the County Code. County Code is ultimately determined by the Board of County Commissioners (BCC). Some county codes are necessary to meet state requirements, some are voluntarily adopted, and others are specific to our County. Examples: Local jurisdictions are required to enforce State Building Codes; the Oregon Legislature passed a law in 2023, Senate Bill (SB) 1013, that gave counties the option to allow RVs as second dwellings on certain properties; and the BCC voted to approve this in Clackamas County. There is a process and conditions they must meet to use an RV as a second dwelling. Lastly, the BCC voted that overgrown vegetation will not be enforced in Clackamas County (this does not include overgrown vegetation that blocks street signs or creates a hazard).
CE is impartial and enforces the codes and laws as directed by the BCC. County Code 2.07.030 governs CE “Process for Enforcement.” This, along with a priority list, dictates how we may enforce. In Clackamas County, our direction is to provide education and seek voluntary compliance before financial penalties. Once all attempts at compliance have been exhausted, any remaining violations are referred to the County Counsel for prosecution in Circuit Court. At that point, how the respondent (violator) is held accountable is ultimately up to a Circuit Court Judge. The judge will often order violations abated; if not, the judge may order the respondent (violator) to pay additional penalties and/or hold them in Contempt of Court for violating the judge’s order.
The Board of County Commissioners has an extension of the STR pilot program and directed staff to solicit community feedback. The extension will through June of 2026. During this time, a survey will go out and the Board will host two town halls – one virtual and one in person.
Q: We in the Hoodland Corridor have a couple of deep concerns:
The corridor has 80% of the county’s Short-Term Rentals. The two-year pilot project is due to expire 12-31-25. The program has not been fully implemented. What are your plans for 1-1-26 for STRs in our area?
The Board of County Commissioners has an extension of the STR pilot program and directed staff to solicit community feedback. The extension will through June of 2026. During this time, a survey will go out and the Board will host two town halls – one virtual and one in person.
There is no community center in Hoodland since the Dorman Center was condemned and razed about ten years ago. The Stone Creek Golf Course was built with monies from a timber harvest in Hoodland, yet no money was retained to the Hoodland community. Can the county place a fully-functional Community Center in Hoodland? Certainly with funds from tourism in our area could help.
Clackamas County has an Intergovernmental Agreement with the Hoodland Fire District to convey the Hoodland Park Property for construction of a new fire station once the District secures adequate funding for the project. As a condition of that conveyance, the Fire District is obligated to retain the existing community garden and build a community room. We understand that the passage of Measure 3-625 at the May 2025 election has given the Fire District the funding they need to move the project forward and hope to convey the property as soon as possible. We hope that the community will continue to engage with the Hoodland Fire District on how the community room can be utilized as a space to build connections and grow the already vibrant community. For more information, please look at Hoodland Fire's website.
How can I find out when my street is scheduled to be paved? Streets which were nearby were in somewhat better condition have been paved, and no utility work was done there, which would naturally move them forward in the scheduling.
While it might seem like it makes sense to pave the worst roads first, totally reconstructing a road can be up to ten times more expensive than planning for resurfacing treatments to extend the life of a road. Our pavement management plan will help to reduce the number of roads that reach the level of reconstruction, which means we can improve the quality of more roads each year.
First, we determine the condition of our 1,400 miles of roadway. Every year, we rate the condition of 50% of main roads and 25% of local roads using technology that inspects the surface condition as well as tests that provide data on the road structure that is not visible.
We use software to predict the deterioration rate of pavement with a score between 0 and 100 to determine which roads would be best to repair. Using this information, we are able to plan resurfacing projects within the limits of our annual budget.
Our county goal is to maintain a pavement condition index at 70 or higher.
To reach this goal, we use surface treatments like chip seal and slurry seal to extend the life of roads and repave roads before total reconstruction is needed.
See the roads scheduled for paving or a protective sealant. For more, contact our Transportation Maintenance Division at 503-557-6391.
My property taxes went up 5.7% this year, but my social security is only going up 2.8%, and my house’s market value is going down. How can I, as a senior citizen on a fixed income, stay in my house?
Regarding any property tax increase inquiries, please contact the Assessor’s office. Their staff is happy to walk you through why your property taxes went up, if interested!
We know many seniors are feeling the pressure of rising property taxes on a fixed income. While counties don’t control tax rates or Social Security adjustments, there is one Oregon program designed specifically to help older adults stay in their homes.
Oregon offers the Senior and Disabled Property Tax Deferral Program, which allows qualifying homeowners to defer paying property taxes until they exit the program. The State of Oregon pays the taxes, and repayment isn’t required until the home is sold or the estate is settled. More information on this program can be found on our website.
Clackamas County supports services that help seniors remain safely housed – such as energy-assistance programs, home repairs and weatherization resources, and connections to benefits like SNAP, Medicare Savings Programs, and in-home support options. Our Aging and Disability Resource Connection (ADRC-503-650-5622) can walk seniors through resources for older adults and available financial and housing supports.
Our goal is to help older adults maintain stability and remain safely in their homes, and we encourage anyone feeling this pressure to reach out so we can connect them with the programs or services designed to help.
Are there any big $ cuts forthcoming? What likely areas?
The Board of County Commissioners does not discuss budgets outside of the Clackamas County Budget Committee. You are welcome to review their work at and to delve into the general county budget.
The four parts of food security are: availability, access, utilization and stability. We’ve seen a massive effort to compile lists of food pantries, meal programs, nonprofits, and the Clackamas Service Center. What are other things being done to ensure all 4 pillars are addressed to get help where needed?
Although the County doesn’t directly provide food, we work with partners to strengthen all four pillars of food security. For availability, we fund senior nutrition programs and coordinate with regional food suppliers and emergency planners. For access, we support transportation connections, outreach to help people enroll in SNAP and other benefits, and multilingual resource navigation. For utilization, we work with senior centers to support congregate and home delivered meals and help connect individuals to organizations that offer other food and nutrition resources. For stability, we invest in aging services, strengthen cross-agency coordination, and partner with emergency management and community organizations to keep food support reliable during disruptions. Our role is to ensure that the systems behind food access are strong, connected, and dependable.
I have heard that the State of Oregon is experiencing negative growth. How is this reflected in Clackamas County? Will this affect housing prices?
County staff are carefully watching the shifting housing market to inform the Board of County Commissioners of potential impacts to population changes and availability of housing in the region.
Is there an emergency food security plan for times when SNAP is in danger of failing?
In November, in an effort to address food scarcity, the Board sent $80,000 to local food banks. Additionally, we posted an extensive list of food bank and pantry resources across the county. Extensive planning occurred during the delay in SNAP benefits that will be the foundation of response if there were to be a future delay in SNAP benefits or other entitlements.
How is the county supporting the immigrant community, which is a significant part of the county?
Clackamas County supports its immigrant communities through county-run programs, educational partnerships, and collaborations with community-focused non-profits. Our focus is on wraparound services that address immediate needs, such as housing and legal assistance, while fostering long-term integration.
What is the real timeline for seeing the transit corridor completed?
The Sunrise Gateway Corridor Refinement Plan replaces the earlier “big highway” vision with a phased, scaled-down, community-informed concept. Instead of one massive buildout, the plan identifies discrete corridor segments for improvement, beginning with a “local connections and safety” segment between SE 135th and SE 152nd Avenues.
In July 2025, Metro allocated $12.5 million to the project, sufficient to complete the environmental review and begin engineering and detailed design for the first segment.
After design and environmental review, the County, in partnership with regional and state agencies, will need to secure construction funding. Because the corridor is being built in phases, each segment will advance only when funding approvals are in place.
You may see safety, sidewalk, and bike path improvements within a few years, but the full corridor build-out will proceed over a multi-year to multi-decade horizon, depending on future funding and project prioritization.
What do you see as the greatest obstacle to preserving safety and quality of life in Clackamas County?
Per the Board’s strategic plan for 2025-2030, we have two goals listed under our “Safe, Secure and Livable Communities” priority:
- Affordable Housing: By 2030, 900 affordable housing units will be developed, including an emphasis on the senior population and underserved parts of the County.
- Jail: By 2028, based upon best practices, the County will complete preliminary design concepts and estimates for a new Clackamas County Jail.
These should be seen as key focuses of the Board in the areas of public safety.
How can the county draw new people to be future leadership of the county?
By spreading the word about the many volunteer opportunities here at the county, so that the next generation of leaders can get involved and see if they enjoy working for the people of Clackamas County!
Talking more about the Clackamas County Recovery Campus, recovery can sometimes take more than 30 days. How will that be addressed?
There is no 30 day cut-off. Stays at the campus could be as long as 18 months, depending upon an individual’s needs. Read more on our website.
Outward industrial properties have languished without development. How is the Board improving visibility for commercial-industrial development?
County staff are currently undergoing an industrial land supply study for unincorporated Clackamas County. This study should provide insights as to any vacant land that is available for development. The study should be presented to the Board of County Commissioners by the end of January.
So moving people is a large part of your job. Under Strong Infrastructure, you have a focus on transit – a desire to provide service that is efficient, accessible and affordable. What does efficient, accessible and affordable look like to you?
The answer to that question is exactly what the corresponding Performance Clackamas goal is: “By 2027, the County will provide a plan for what efficient, accessible and affordable transit looks like in Clackamas County.” The county has a team of high-level officials working on this plan, which includes ensuring that we have a shared understanding of “efficient, accessible and affordable” (along with all other goals), and we look forward to announcing that publicly in the coming years after very thorough research and deliberate thought.”