Portland's Jade District Is a Planner's Nightmare (and Dream)

The Jade District on Portland's distant east side is a typical geography of wide streets and sprawl, but is also a relatively complete, self-contained community.

1 minute read

December 3, 2017, 7:00 AM PST

By snewberg @JoeUrbanist


The area around 82nd and Division Street in Portland's east side is not what most people think of when they consider Portland. It has overly-wide streets, poor pedestrian connections, has plenty of automobile related uses, and is skipped by Portland's well-known light rail system. 

The alternate reality is the Jade District is a relatively complete community, with local businesses, markets, and neighborhood groups, particularly for the Chiinese community.

“In a funny way, this is exactly the kind of neighborhood we’re supposed to be encouraging – a place where everything you want exists within easy reach. If you’re an immigrant, you can find your market, restaurants that have the food you know, people who speak your language,” said Thuy Tu, a civil engineer and consultant who has been working on Jade District improvements. “Everything is here for those communities that have already been displaced from their own country.”

The challenges moving forward for the area include seemingly simple improvements like better sidewalks, crosswalks and community gardens. Improved bus service is also being pursued. With these things bring fear of gentrification, something the Chinese community in Portland is all too familiar with, having seen it happen in that city's Chinatown, of all places. 

Tuesday, November 21, 2017 in Oregon Public Broadcasting

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 25, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Map of Western U.S. indicating public lands that would be for sale under a Senate plan in yellow and green.

Map: Where Senate Republicans Want to Sell Your Public Lands

For public land advocates, the Senate Republicans’ proposal to sell millions of acres of public land in the West is “the biggest fight of their careers.”

June 19, 2025 - Outdoor Life

Person wearing mask walking through temporary outdoor dining setup lined with bistro lights at dusk in New York City.

Restaurant Patios Were a Pandemic Win — Why Were They so Hard to Keep?

Social distancing requirements and changes in travel patterns prompted cities to pilot new uses for street and sidewalk space. Then it got complicated.

June 19, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Tents inhabited by unhoused people lined up on sidewalk in Los Angeles, California in front of industrial building.

California Homeless Arrests, Citations Spike After Ruling

An investigation reveals that anti-homeless actions increased up to 500% after Grants Pass v. Johnson — even in cities claiming no policy change.

30 minutes ago - Times of San Diego

Route 66 motel neon sign.

Albuquerque Route 66 Motels Become Affordable Housing

A $4 million city fund is incentivizing developers to breathe new life into derelict midcentury motels.

1 hour ago - High Country News

Green public transit bus at stop in Silver Spring, Maryland.

DC Area County Eliminates Bus Fares

Montgomery County joins a growing trend of making transit free.

2 hours ago - The Washington Post

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.