Interim Executive Director, Wade Lange went before City Council on 5/24/23 to provide oral testimony on the subject. 

Read the testimony below:

"The Building Owners and Managers Association of Oregon (BOMA) represents over 50 million square feet of office, medical and industrial space within the state, primarily within the metro area. We, as part of the commercial real estate industry, testified in 2020 about our concerns over BDS budget cuts and staff reductions.  We appear here today with those same concerns.

There has been a dramatic reduction in development and construction projects over the last three years.  Because BDS’s budget is based on fees from such development and construction and BDS continues to draw from its reserves, we are once again fearful of more staff reductions throughout the bureau.  Reduced staffing directly affects the timing and cost of commercial construction projects.  Delays in development or construction can kill projects, at a time when our city desperately needs to see new and continued investment.  The impact of delayed or cancelled projects has a ripple effect throughout the region, affecting not just individual projects or commercial buildings, but also the vendors contracted to work those buildings, the businesses who utilize them, and the construction industry in general.  We believe there is a potential turnaround coming for Portland, bringing new projects that will have positive economic impacts for the entire metro region, but only if projects are assured a reasonable path to implementation.  There is more than just affordable housing needed for Portland to recover and we need BDS to be available and able to service all.

Therefore, BOMA is in support of those fee increases necessary to reduce or stop the draw on reserves and the reduction of BDS employees."