Ida B Wells school construction threatens to displace the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market starting next year. We believe we can work with the contractors to safely hold the market on our current site without disrupting the construction schedule, but the PPS Real Estate team has told us they do not intend to renew our lease.

Help us communicate to decision makers how much the market matters to Hillsdale.

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

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

Community Action Steps

Below are FOUR ways that you can help keep the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market in Hillsdale.

1️⃣ Email PPS Leadership and the Portland School Board urging them to keep the market at its current location during the Ida B. Wells modernization.

WHO WE’RE ASKING YOU TO EMAIL To populate an email addressed to the folks below, CLICK HERE

• Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong, Superintendent — karmstrong@pps.net

• Dr. Jon Franco, Senior Chief of Operations/Facilities — jfranco@pps.net

• Deborah Kafoury, Chief of Staff — dkafoury@pps.net

• PPS School Board — schoolboard@pps.net

  EMAIL SUGGESTION TO PPS:

  Feel free to copy this message directly, or adapt it to make it your own. Personal stories — like how long you’ve been shopping at the market, how it’s impacted your family, or what it means for your business — are especially powerful. Places to include personal stories and identification are bold italicized below.

Subject: Keep the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market in Hillsdale During IBW Modernization

Dear Dr. Armstrong, Dr. Franco, Ms. Kafoury, and Members of the PPS School Board,

I am writing to urge you to ensure that the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market remains at its current location throughout the modernization of Ida B. Wells High School.

The Hillsdale Farmers’ Market has called its current location home for 20 years and is a vital community resource:

• It connects more than 70,000 neighbors each year with over 70 local farms and small businesses.

• It provides more than $25,000 annually in food assistance, expanding access for SNAP shoppers and families.

• It invests in programs that nourish kids, strengthen local nonprofits, and fight food insecurity.

• Brings significant foot traffic to the Hillsdale Business District on Capitol Highway, so much so that many businesses have adjusted their hours to welcome their neighbors’ business. If the market were to relocate, the majority of Hillsdale businesses would likely suffer real losses in income.

Displacing the market would put all of this — and the future of the market — at risk.

On a personal note, [Insert your story here — for example, “I’ve been shopping here with my family since the market first opened,” or “As a vendor, this market sustains my business and connects me directly to the community.”]

I also want to acknowledge PPS’s concerns about safety and logistics during construction. The market and school modernization are not mutually exclusive. With planning and open communication, I believe both can succeed side by side. The market is committed to working with PPS, contractors, and the community to mitigate risks and adapt operations as needed.

Please ensure the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market is not displaced during the modernization of Ida B. Wells High School. This is not a choice between a new school or the market — with collaboration, we can have both.

Thank you for your leadership and for listening to the Hillsdale community.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]
[Your Neighborhood and Connection to the Market]

2️⃣ Take our community survey and help us show PPS decision makers how much the market matters to Hillsdale.

3️⃣ Get involved. Join Hilldale Neighborhood Committee’s 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/ 

4️⃣ Learn more. Read our detailed position summary: Preserving the Hillsdale Farmers’ Market Location During Construction of Ida B Wells: A Better Outcome for the Community

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