Urban League of Portland shifts services after Urban Plaza headquarters becomes unsafe amid ownership dispute

A longtime North Portland hub goes dark

The Urban League of Portland has curtailed or relocated several in-person services after leaving its longtime headquarters at Urban Plaza, a mixed-use building at 10 N. Russell St. The organization says the site became uninhabitable following escalating building deterioration and safety concerns, disrupting walk-in access that many residents relied on for housing and other assistance.

Urban League leaders have described a range of conditions inside the building that contributed to the departure, including water intrusion and damage, pest and mold concerns, and repeated security incidents such as break-ins and unauthorized occupancy. The service impacts have been most visible in programs that depended on consistent foot traffic and onsite space, including in-person cultural education for youth and walk-in housing advocacy.

Services continue, but access has changed

The organization has continued some work virtually and through alternative arrangements, but acknowledges that the shift has reduced the immediacy of in-person support. Staff have continued to take calls and conduct advocacy work, including housing-related policy engagement during the Oregon Legislature’s short session, while the organization seeks a stable, long-term operating base.

The Urban League’s public-facing address remains associated with the Russell Street location, underscoring the building’s role as both a service center and a community landmark for North and Northeast Portland’s historically Black neighborhoods.

How the building’s ownership became central to the crisis

Urban Plaza’s ownership has been a point of tension for years. The Urban League previously owned the building, purchasing it in 1985. In 2006, amid financial distress that put the property at risk, another historically Black-led nonprofit, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives (PCRI), bought the building. The Urban League remained in the space as a tenant, initially without rent and later paying rent once its finances improved. PCRI managed the affordable apartments on the upper floors.

In 2024, the apartment tenants were moved out as building conditions worsened, and the Urban League also vacated. Since then, the nonprofits have disputed key details of prior sale discussions, including the timing and size of offers and counteroffers, and the degree to which any past understanding existed about transferring ownership back to the Urban League. Appraisals obtained by the parties in recent years have produced differing valuations, and negotiations have not resulted in an executed agreement.

What happens next

Both organizations have indicated an interest in a path forward, but no funded plan has been publicly identified to rehabilitate and reopen the building for offices, services, and housing. A public tour of Urban Plaza is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 14, at noon, highlighting the ongoing community interest in the property’s condition and future use.

• Location: Urban Plaza, 10 N. Russell St., Portland
• Primary issue: building habitability and safety concerns
• Secondary issue: unresolved ownership and purchase negotiations
• Next public moment: scheduled public tour on Feb. 14 at 12 p.m.

The Urban League has framed the closure as a facility-driven interruption rather than an organizational decision to withdraw services, while maintaining its stated goal of returning to its historic hub if conditions and ownership can be resolved.