2026 Northwest Works District Scorecard
Data-Based Baseline Brief for Portland's Production Economy
Purpose
This scorecard is designed as a measured, data-based baseline for Northwest Works. It is published as an inaugural version rather than a claim that NWWD has already collected parcel-level or member-level district statistics. The scorecard uses public Portland, Multnomah County, Oregon, and Portland metro data as proxies for the economic conditions affecting production businesses in the Northwest Works geography.
How to Read This Baseline
| Category | Baseline Signal | Confidence | NWWD Interpretation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Cost Pressure | Portland-area business taxes rose materially from 2019 to 2023. | High Trend | Retention and expansion conversations should address competitiveness without overstating causation. |
| Labor Market | Oregon unemployment was 5.2% in April 2026; Portland regional employment contracted in 2025. | High Trend | Production employers are operating in a cautious labor and demand environment. |
| Industrial Real Estate | Q1 2026 industrial vacancy/availability reached elevated levels in multiple brokerage reports. | High Market | Vacancy activation should be a core district objective. |
| Population / Tax Base | Multnomah County population remained below its 2021 level in 2025. | High County | Out-migration and slow growth affect workforce, demand, and public finance discussions. |
| Policy Tools | Portland E-Zone offers five-year property-tax relief on new qualified investment. | High Precedent | Existing policy precedent supports a practical retention/investment strategy. |
Headline Indicators
The figures below summarize conditions that matter to makers, creators, production businesses, property owners, and entrepreneurs. They are not a substitute for district-level data collection, but they provide a defensible public baseline.
District Scorecard Categories
Business Retention
Current Baseline: Regional evidence shows slower employment performance and rising cost concerns.
Assessment: Watch / Priority
Suggested NWWD Action: Create a confidential business-retention survey and collect relocation-risk signals from members.
Property Activation
Current Baseline: Industrial vacancy and availability are elevated across the Portland market.
Assessment: Priority
Suggested NWWD Action: Build a voluntary inventory of vacant/underused production spaces with property owners.
Maker and Production Economy
Current Baseline: Public data rarely isolates makers, creators, and production entrepreneurs.
Assessment: Data Gap
Suggested NWWD Action: Define NWWD business categories and collect member-level counts.
Permitting and Development Readiness
Current Baseline: City dashboards now provide permit-review transparency, but NWWD-specific project experience is not yet tracked.
Assessment: Data Gap / Opportunity
Suggested NWWD Action: Track member projects by application date, review duration, and outcome.
Investment Competitiveness
Current Baseline: Existing E-Zone framework shows Portland already uses tax-abatement tools for qualified investment.
Assessment: Opportunity
Suggested NWWD Action: Develop a district-specific production investment proposal using existing policy precedent.
Public Narrative
Current Baseline: Current public data supports a measured competitiveness discussion, not an unsupported crisis claim.
Assessment: Important
Suggested NWWD Action: Use data-based language and publish updates quarterly.
Recommended Scorecard Metrics to Collect Next
The next version of this scorecard should add district-specific metrics that only NWWD, its members, brokers, and property owners can realistically track over time.
| Metric | Definition | Collection Method | Update Cadence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Member Count | Active NWWD member businesses and property owners. | Membership database | Quarterly |
| Vacant Production Spaces | Known available industrial/flex/production spaces in the geography. | Broker/property owner voluntary reporting | Quarterly |
| Business Openings | New makers, producers, trades, logistics, or entrepreneurs in district. | Member reporting + city business license review | Quarterly |
| Business Exits | Closures or relocations out of Portland. | Member reporting + public filings/news | Quarterly |
| Permit Experiences | Time from application to approval for member projects. | Confidential member survey | Quarterly |
| Reported Investment | Announced or self-reported capital improvements. | Member/property owner survey | Semiannual |
| Public Safety Impacts | Reported break-ins, encampment impacts, vandalism, or service calls affecting business operations. | Confidential member survey | Quarterly |
Source Notes & References
This baseline report uses public data available as of June 17, 2026. It does not claim district-specific counts unless a source directly supports that geography.
- OPB / Axios Reporting on Local Business Taxes: Local business taxes grew from about $781 million in 2019 to about $1.4 billion in 2023; Axios described this as an 82% increase, citing Gov. Kotek Central City Task Force reporting.
- Portland Metro Chamber, 2026 State of the Economy: Portland region employment continued to contract in 2025 while national employment grew; Multnomah County remained below 2020 employment levels while Clark County stood at 114% of 2020 employment levels.
- Kidder Mathews, Portland Industrial Market Report Q1 2026: Portland industrial vacancy and availability reached 15-year highs in Q1 2026, rising to 6.5% and 10.9%, respectively; small-bay weakness was identified as a key factor.
- CBRE, Portland Industrial Figures Q1 2026: CBRE reported Portland industrial vacancy at 7.6% in Q1 2026, with market fundamentals still in transition and elevated sublease availability.
- FRED / U.S. Census Resident Population Series: Multnomah County resident population was 795,391 in 2025, 794,472 in 2024, 793,778 in 2023, and 805,130 in 2021.
- Oregon Employment Department / QualityInfo: Oregon reported 5.2% unemployment and 1,973,400 nonfarm jobs in April 2026.
- Prosper Portland, Portland Enterprise Zone Program: The Portland E-Zone allows qualified firms making substantial new capital investment to receive a 100% waiver of real property taxes attributable to new investment for five years after completion.
- City of Portland Resolution 37739: Portland’s 2026 E-Zone action describes eligibility requirements including job creation/addition, community public benefits, and program/public school fees.
- Portland Permitting & Development Permit Dashboards: The City published enhanced permit-review dashboards in 2025 to show review timelines and progress for ongoing permit review transparency.