City Offers Help to Small Businesses During Pandemic - Launches Three Grant & Loan Programs

The City of Portland launched three emergency business assistance programs after receiving City Council approval of the programs at its May 4, 2020 meeting and final funding for them at its May 18, 2020 meeting.

The programs include the Business Assistance...

Mayor Snyder & City Manager Issue Letter to Citizens and Businesses Regarding Reopening Plans

Portland Mayor Kate Snyder and City Manager Jon Jennings issued a letter to citizens and businesses today recapping the City’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and outlining its reopening plans. You can read it at the link below. 

Read on...

City Proposes Plan to Assist Restaurant & Retail Businesses with Reopening

In conjunction with Governor Mills’ Restarting Maine’s Economy plan, which outlines the gradual stages of reopening, the City of Portland has put together a proposed plan that includes temporary street closures and permitting changes t...

Portland Updates Stay at Home Guidance Based on Governor Mills' April 28 Announcement

In light of Governor Janet Mills’ April 28 announcement regarding her stay-at-home extension and safe and gradual plan to restart Maine’s economy, City officials want people and businesses in Portland to know that they should plan to f...

City Council Extends Stay at Home Emergency Order Until May 18

The Portland City Council voted to extend the Stay at Home Emergency Order until May 18, 2020 at its April 27th meeting. The emergency order also includes a number of amendments including:

• A temporary program to pay $1,000 to the owner of a non-ow...

City Clarifies Non-Essential Business Rules Related to Stay at Home Order & Calls Emergency Council

The City of Portland is seeking to clarify its rules for non-essential businesses related to the City’s emergency Stay at Home order, and as a result the Portland City Council will hold an emergency remote workshop on Monday, April 20 at 5:30 PM...

City Closes All Back Cove Trail Parking Lots During Stay At Home Emergency Order

The City of Portland is closing all parking lots associated with the Back Cove Trail due to the high usage of the trail and overcrowding concerns in light of the State of Maine and the City’s Stay at Home emergency orders requiring that individu...

Mayor Snyder Adds Tenant & Landlord Resources to City’s COVID-19 Webpage

Building off of the City Council’s March 30th approval of an Emergency Order, Mayor Kate Snyder has compiled a comprehensive list of resources available to tenants and landlords in light of COVID-19. The Emergency Order requests landlords in Por...

City of Portland Opens Additional Shelter for Clients Needing Quarantine Space

The City of Portland has opened an additional shelter for clients needing quarantine space in light of positive COVID-19 cases. The quarantine space is located at the James A. Banks, Sr. Exposition Building. The City is working with the Maine Department o...

Mayor Snyder Issues Statement in Response to Governor Mills' Stay at Home Order

The following is a statement from Portland Mayor Kate Snyder in response to the stay at home order that Governor Mills issued for the state of Maine. 

“I’d like to thank Governor Mills for enacting these extra mandates to furth...

City Council to Host Remote Meeting on Monday, March 30 at 5:00 PM

On Monday, March 30, 2020, at 5:00 PM, the Portland City Council will conduct its first virtual workshop and meeting using emergency legislation, Sec. G-1 MRSA §403-A, that allows cities and towns to conduct meetings online. The meeting includes ...

Portland Issues COVID-19 Related Updates for City Services

The City of Portland is issuing the following updates related to the COVID-19 response and resources.

City Hall & City Buildings Closed to External Visitors Until April 13

City Hall and all City buildings will now remain closed to external visitors unti...

City Announces Stay at Home Emergency Order Effective Wednesday, March 25 at 5:00 PM

City Announces Stay at Home Emergency Order Effective Wednesday, March 25 at 5:00 PM

Restricts all non-essential personal and business services

Mayor Kate Snyder and Portland City Manager Jon Jennings announced today at a 3:00 PM press conference that the C...

Mayor Snyder Issues Guidance to Keep People Housed During COVID-19 Pandemic

Portland Mayor Kate Snyder issued the following guidance to help keep people housed during the COVID-19 pandemic given the need for safe housing during this public health and economic crisis. The courts are currently closed at this time and no evictions a...

City of Portland Following CDC Guidelines Regarding Coronavirus Precautions

The City of Portland is actively engaged and monitoring guidance from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Maine CDC regarding Coronavirus COVID-19 preparations and precautions. The City’s emergency management team is...

City Celebrates Welcoming Week September 13 - 22

For the third year in a row, the City of Portland will proudly celebrate Welcoming Week by hosting a series of interactive events beginning September 14, 2019 to recognize immigrant contributions to our community. Welcoming Week demonstrates that in place...

Join Us As We Kick Off the Maine Bicentennial in Deering Oaks Park

Governor Janet Mills will join Mayor Strimling, City officials, and members of the Maine Bicentennial Commission to launch the commemoration of the State of Maine bicentennial on Tuesday, July 30 at 2:30 PM in Deering Oaks Park. The Portland event, one of...

Volunteer & Donation Information to Support Asylum Seekers

Thank you to those who have expressed a wish to volunteer your time and services in helping us as we support asylum seekers arriving in Portland. Thanks to our friends at the United Way of Greater Portland, we now have a coordinated and secure way to acce...

City Responds to Influx in Asylum Seekers

The City of Portland, in response to an influx in asylum seekers from the southern US border, has activated an emergency operations center and additional emergency shelter at the Portland Expo. Since Sunday, June 9, the City has received roughly 100 new a...

City Seeks Interested Applicants to Create MLK Memorial in Portland

The City of Portland announced today that it is seeking qualifications from interested applicants for the creation of a memorial to honor Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. in Portland. The RFQ is available here and interested applicants have until June 26 ...

Police Participate in May 11 Gun Give Back Program

The Portland Police Department is excited to participate in a gun give back program on May 11, 2019. The event offers an opportunity for the community to become a safer place by offering people a way to safely dispose of unwanted firearms and ammunition.

“...

FY20 Municipal Budget Currently Under Review by Council

The City Council’s Finance Committee is in the midst of reviewing the City Manager’s Recommended FY20 Municipal Budget. Upcoming Council and public review of the budget will take place at the following times:

Finance Committee Meetings All meetings are in R...

Portland Receives Small Business Friendly Community Award

The City of Portland is pleased to announce that the U.S Conference of Mayors and its Partner America Program selected Portland to receive the Inaugural 2019 Partner America Small Business Friendly Community Award. According to the US Conference of Mayors...

Portland Earns Six Extra Points on Human Rights Campaign's MEI 2018 Scorecard

The City of Portland is proud to announce that it earned six extra points this year on the Human Rights Campaign’s (HRC) Municipal Equality Index (MEI), with a total score of 86, the highest score in Maine, and an increase of 11 points since 2015.

The HRC ...

City Bans Plastic Straws in Clock Tower Cafe; Urges Other Businesses to Follow Suit

The City of Portland has made the decision to ban plastic straws from the Clock Tower Cafe, located within City Hall, and is urging other businesses to follow suit. City Manager Jon Jennings made the decision at the July 18 Sustainability & Transporta...