Recent Articles from Damien Hall
OP-ED: Metro urban growth boundary: Should we skip a cycle?
Every six years, the Metro Council makes an urban growth management decision, either bringing more land into the Portland metro urban growth boundary (UGB) or maintaining the status quo. Metro […]
OP ED: Legislating the urban growth boundary
One of the questions facing this year’s Oregon Legislature is what role it plays in determining whether land is brought into urban growth boundaries (UGBs) across state.
OP-ED: It’s UGB amendment time in Portland
It’s a new year and the right time to take up a new topic in this space. Previously I discussed projects and market issues in Portland’s South Waterfront District. But […]
OP-ED: Working out differences in the Central Eastside
Welcome back to my serial musings on all things development in the Central Eastside, South Waterfront and in between (e.g., the Tilikum Crossing). Since the last iteration of this column, […]
OP-ED: Infrastructure needs of a growing neighborhood
Welcome back to the recurring chronicle of two of Portland’s fastest changing neighborhoods, the South Waterfront and the Central Eastside. Past columns have touched on the construction and naming […]
OP-ED: A tale of two connected districts
A couple of eventful months have passed since I previously chronicled the rise of the new transit bridge over the Willamette River, and the changing nature of the neighborhoods […]
OP-ED: A tale of two connected neighborhoods
Looking out my office window, I see the yet-to-be named transit bridge over the Willamette River, its twin decks hovering suspended and nearly connecting in the middle. The bridge […]
News
- Multnomah County commits up to $101.6M for Moda Center
- Portland code changes to take effect in November
- Los Colibris project approved for Portland’s OMSI District
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $9.9 million in top bidders | Aug. 7, 2026
- Oregon opens infrastructure grant program
- Ex-TV host claps back at Detroit officials in blight case
- 31-unit multifamily project in Portland land use review intakes | Aug. 3, 2026
- $2.4 million office renovation in Portland building permits | Aug. 3, 2026
- Transportation commission weighs ODOT budget cuts
- Lam Research planning $1.7 billion investment in Tualatin
- Pacific Northwest projects totaling $10.6 million in top bidders | July 31, 2026
- Many Oregon counties struggling to maintain their fairgrounds
Commentary
- Beware of when the debt collector comes calling | Opinion
- Assembly of a future workforce begins with an invitation | Opinion
- Beware of overlooking legal requirements for remote workers | Opinion
- Become a critical thinker and transform a workplace | Opinion
- Managing construction risks with international suppliers | Opinion
- A rally with many engines: the lesson of 2026’s first half | Opinion
- Oregon housing challenges persist despite sound and fury | Opinion
- When does an employee’s bullying become harassment? | Opinion
- Ditch disorganization — the cost of deferred decisions | Opinion
- Consider 10 common risks for healthcare construction projects | Opinion
- Clarifying the reach of a law regarding prevailing wage | Opinion
- Adjust to legal changes now to ensure compliance later | Opinion







