10/22/25 - A Positive Step Forward for the Markets’ Future

We have exciting news to share! Portland Public Schools (PPS) has offered the Rieke Elementary end of our current parking lot as a location for the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market for the duration of the IBW modernization project! 🎉

We just received this news yesterday (10/21), so it's still very new, and there are many details to be worked out before any agreement is finalized. That said, this is a major, positive step forward, and we are proceeding in gratitude and good faith that we will be able to come to a mutually acceptable solution with PPS to keep the market right here in Hillsdale.

We want to extend our gratitude to our incredible community. PPS received hundreds of emails from market shoppers, neighbors, and supporters expressing how much this market means to Hillsdale. Your voices truly made a difference. 

We also want to thank PPS for their hard work behind the scenes to make this option possible, coordinating with city departments and listening to the many community members who spoke up about the importance of keeping the market in our neighborhood.

We’re inviting you to write one more email to PPS leadership - a thank you this time! Take just a couple of minutes to acknowledge the positive impact their collaboration will have, and how much it means to you to keep the market in Hillsdale. Let’s reinforce the fact that they made the right choice! Click here to send an email directly to the leaders at PPS who helped make this happen.

What’s Next

Today (10/22)!  Join the next IBW Public Design Workshop from 6–8pm in the IBW Cafeteria (appetizers available at 5:30pm). This is a great opportunity to learn more about the modernization plans, ask questions, and share your thoughts as a member of this community.  

We’ll continue to share updates as plans develop — but for now, let’s celebrate this positive progress and thank both PPS and our community for standing up for your Hillsdale Farmers' Market.

With Letters of Support From:

State Representative Dacia Grayber (District 28) and State Senator Kate Lieber (District 14) - see their full letter of support

District 4 Councilors Olivia Clark, Eric Zimmerman and Mitch Green — see their full letter of support

Rose Williams-Guevara, Board President of Oregon Farmers Markets Association — see their full letter of support

Rachel Ward, Executive Director of Farmers Market Fund — see their full letter of support

Mike Roach, Co-owner of Paloma Clothing for 50 years — see his full letter of support

Chris Chiacchierini, Executive Director Neighborhood House — see his full letter of support

Hillsdale Neighborhood Association — see their full letter of support

Peter Weber & Chloe Anderson, Barn Frog Farm & Market Vendor— see their full letter of support

Nina Sackett, Bee Easy Farm & Market Vendor — see their full letter of support

Patrick Newman, Store Manager at Basics Market Hillsdale — see their full letter of support

10/07/2025 — Community Survey Results Shared with PPS Leadership Amid Modernization Planning

We recently conducted a community survey to better understand the potential impacts of relocating the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market during the Ida B. Wells modernization project. We received 451 responses, reflecting strong community engagement and support for the market’s role in Southwest Portland. You can view the survey results here: Community Survey Results.

These results were shared with Portland Public Schools leadership to help illuminate what’s at stake if the market is displaced during construction.

We’re happy to share that our collective action is working! We’re scheduled to reconnect with Portland Public Schools leadership later this month to revisit the modernization plans and continue advocating for a solution that keeps the market thriving in Hillsdale.

09/23/2025 — Hillsdale Farmers Market Gains Strong Support from State Representatives

We are thrilled to share that our effort to remain in Hillsdale has received meaningful support from key state leaders. Hillsdale’s State Representative Dacia Grayber (District 28) and State Senator Kate Lieber (District 14) have both voiced their backing for the market, recognizing its vital role in providing access to fresh, locally grown food and fostering community connections. Read Rep. Grayber’s entire letter to PPS leadership here.

Their support is a powerful reminder that Hillsdale Farmers’ Market is more than just a place to shop: it’s a cornerstone of our neighborhood. We are deeply grateful for their advocacy and commitment to ensuring that our community continues to have a vibrant, accessible farmers market.

This support energizes us as we continue conversations with Portland Public Schools and work to secure our future in Hillsdale. Together, with our community and local leaders, we remain committed to keeping the market thriving for years to come!

09/04/2025 — Update from the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association Meeting on 9/3/25

At this week’s Hillsdale Neighborhood Association (HNA) meeting, neighbors voiced overwhelming support for keeping the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market at its current location during the modernization of Ida B. Wells High School. Attendance was the largest in years — both in person and online — and may well have set a record!

The association unanimously passed a resolution opposing Portland Public Schools (PPS) displacing the market during upcoming construction.

We were also joined by District 4 Councilor Olivia Clark, a former 20-year Hillsdale resident, who committed to coordinating a joint letter from all three District 4 Councilors to PPS leadership and the Portland Mayor in support of the market.

Here are the key updates:

• Councilor Olivia Clark committed to coordinate a joint letter from all three District 4 Councilors to PPS leadership and the Portland Mayor, urging them to keep the market in Hillsdale.

• A farmers market site visit with PPS leadership is being scheduled for this week.

• Community members emphasized that the market and school can safely coexist—this is not “a new school OR the market,” but both together.

• The market is a vital neighborhood anchor. Local businesses, like How Sweet It Is Classic Confections and Basics Market, rely on Sunday market traffic. Losing our location would ripple through the community.

09/02/2025

After more than 20 years in the heart of Hillsdale, we’ve been informed that we stand to lose our lease from Portland Public Schools (PPS) during the 3-year construction phase of the Ida B. Wells High School modernization project, anticipated to begin in 2026. 

We want to be clear: we don’t want to move. 

Our market connects more than 70,000 visitors each year with 70+ local farms & small businesses, provides over $25,000 annually in food assistance, and invests in programs that nourish kids, strengthen local nonprofits, and fight food insecurity. Displacement would put all of this – and the future of the market – at risk.

As our staff, board, and community partners continue to fight to find an alternative, positive outcome for the community, here is how YOU can help:

1️⃣ Join the conversation. Attend the Hillsdale Neighborhood Association (HNA) meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 3 with Councilor Olivia Clark. Details to attend in-person or via Zoom 👉 https://hillsdalepdxna.org/

2️⃣ Get involved. HNA has launched the Keep the Market Committee to work alongside the Market, local businesses, and neighbors to keep the market in Hillsdale. Sign up here 👉 https://hillsdalepdxna.org/hillsdale-farmers-market/ 

3️⃣ Learn more. Check out our detailed position summary: Preserving the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Location During Construction of Ida B Wells: A Better Outcome for the Community

4️⃣ Stay tuned.  Watch for an upcoming survey where you can make your voice heard.

We believe we have a strong chance of reversing this decision if we organize an effective response.

This is our home. Let’s keep it that way. 💪

~ The Hillsdale Farmers’ Market team