I’m ready to get to work for Portland | Ilma Lopez

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Ilma Lopez lives in Riverton and is a candidate for Portland City Council in District 5,
which includes North Deering, Riverton and Deering Center.

My kids are eight years apart, and in that time, Portland has changed from a city where I didn’t worry about the safety of my kids outside, to a city where I do. Part of the change comes from the actions — or inactions — of our City Council. This motivated me to run for office, so I could help be part of the solution.

I grew up in Venezuela with my mother and brother. We didn’t have enough food to eat, but my mother always made sure the kids had enough. Twenty-four years ago, when I was nearing college age, my mother sold our tiny apartment to raise the money to send me to culinary school in the U.S. (So, no, I am no fan of ICE, but that is not why I’m running.)

As a chef, I worked in some of the finest restaurants in New York, Madrid and elsewhere. I met my future husband in New York, and 15 years ago we moved to Portland, where we are raising our family. We now own two restaurants — Chaval and the Ugly Duckling — that are part of Portland’s vibrant food scene.

As a small business owner, I understand the challenges of hiring and keeping good employees, living within a budget and meeting the expectations and needs of our customers. I want to bring that same customer-service mindset to the City Council. Because I view the job first and foremost as working for the people of my district — which includes Riverton, North Deering and Deering Center.

I also want to bring to the council a mindset of living within our means, because every resident of Portland struggling with rising property taxes has to do the same. I don’t profess to have all the answers, but I will ask the right questions.

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Part of what we need is more housing and more business to help spread out the property tax burden so that less falls on individual homeowners or renters, and to help rents go down. Yet, there are times when our City Council seems anti-business, as evidenced by a growing number of empty storefronts in our city.

And while our council says they want more housing, they sustain policies like inclusionary zoning that have slowed housing development. Worse, our council has adopted policies that encourage housing in the wrong places that hurt the strong neighborhoods we have. Yes, we need more housing, but we should focus on our arterials where there is public transit and where density makes sense.

But, the number one reason I am running is public safety. In September, I was in one of our restaurants in the evening with several employees when someone broke in. We called the police, but the person got away. It was scary but emblematic of a growing epidemic of homelessness and substance use disorder. Like everyone else in Portland, I am tired of stepping over needles. And I’m tired of being harassed. I’m tired for myself, my kids and all of us.

Also in September, Mayor Dion declared “enough is enough.” I agree, which is why I am so honored that Mayor Dion agreed to endorse my candidacy this month. I look forward to working with Mayor Dion to fix what seems so broken.

I am also honored to have the support of longtime public servants like former mayors Jim Cohen, Nick Mavodones and Dave Brenerman, former state senator Heather Sanborn, former councilor John Coyne, also from Riverton, current councilor Pious Ali, owners of restaurants and small businesses throughout the city and the New American Leaders Action Fund.

As I always tell my kids at night, if you see something wrong, step up. And that’s what I’m doing. I want to hear from you, and I hope to have your support for City Council, District 5.

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Tagged: columns, election 2026