Portland's Urban League Forced to Alter Services Due to Uninhabitable Headquarters

The civil rights organization has halted many in-person programs after its longtime home became unsafe due to infrastructure issues.

Published on Feb. 11, 2026

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The Urban League of Portland, the city's oldest civil rights organization, has been forced to halt many of its in-person services after its longtime headquarters became uninhabitable due to water damage, infestations, and other infrastructure issues. The nonprofit, which has served the Black community for decades, is now without a permanent home after vacating its North Portland building in 2024.

Why it matters

The Urban League's headquarters has long been a symbol and hub for Portland's Black community, providing critical services and programming. Its inability to operate out of the building represents a significant disruption to the organization's work and the community it serves, raising concerns about the preservation of the city's civil rights history and the challenges facing mission-driven nonprofits amid gentrification pressures.

The details

The Urban League's North Portland building has faced a range of issues in recent years, including water leaks, crumbling infrastructure, and infestations. After the nonprofit was forced to vacate the premises in 2024, it has struggled to continue offering in-person services like cultural education, housing advocacy, and its homeless shelter. The organization says it has made multiple offers to purchase the building from its current landlord, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives (PCRI), but claims PCRI has refused to negotiate.

  • The Urban League vacated its North Portland headquarters in 2024.
  • The Urban League was forced to halt many in-person services after the building became uninhabitable.

The players

Urban League of Portland

The city's oldest civil rights organization, which has served the Black community for decades.

Charles Fitz

The Urban League's administration director.

Sharon Gary-Smith

A former NAACP president who grew up participating in the Urban League's student programs.

Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives (PCRI)

A nonprofit that bought the Urban League's headquarters building in the early 2000s and has since refused the organization's offers to purchase it back.

Ernest Warren

The general counsel for PCRI.

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What they’re saying

“We want to be back here working and taking care of our people.”

— Charles Fitz, Urban League administration director (KPTV)

“Oregon was a very frightening state for people to come to who were not white. Its history is the only state who joined the union that had slave laws still intact.”

— Sharon Gary-Smith, Former NAACP president (KPTV)

“We had the folks the auntie's the grandma's that sat on the porches called out to us. You better stop skedaddling and get up to school. You had a sense of belonging.”

— Sharon Gary-Smith, Former NAACP president (KPTV)

“We're trying to save history of Portland. This area has been gentrified, but there's still a sense of community.”

— Charles Fitz, Urban League administration director (KPTV)

“When the Urban Plaza was in foreclosure in the early 2000s, PCRI bought the building and let the Urban League stay as a tenant for free. When the Urban League could pay rent, PCRI allowed the Urban League to pay below market rent. Now, the Urban League is in a better place, and PCRI is happy for the Urban League's good fortune. The Urban League could reciprocate the love PCRI has shown for it and do what's right.”

— Ernest Warren, General counsel for PCRI (KPTV)

What’s next

The Urban League plans to host a public tour of its former headquarters on Saturday, February 14th at noon, as it continues to advocate for the ability to purchase the building and resume operations in its longtime home.

The takeaway

The plight of the Urban League of Portland highlights the challenges facing mission-driven nonprofits in gentrifying urban areas, as well as the importance of preserving the history and community hubs that have long served marginalized populations. The organization's struggle to regain control of its headquarters underscores the need for policies and practices that protect such vital community assets.