Toward Oregon 2050

How do we plan for a better Oregon in 2050? What will the state be like in that year for five million Oregonians, particularly for the least privileged and powerful residents? These are the questions that drive Oregon 2050, an interdisciplinary project at Portland State University that aims to help the state become more environmentally sustainable, socially equitable, and fiscally resilient.

In this compelling volume, leading experts in land use and urban planning, in cooperation with other scholars and community partners, envision various possible futures and begin the work of developing statewide plans to guide Oregon through the decades ahead. Building on the state’s policy innovation and planning legacy, contributors to Toward Oregon 2050 address current challenges such as housing scarcity, income inequality, the rural-urban divide, and climate change. They offer recommendations on a range of issues, from culture to incarceration, transportation to voting rights, all with the goal of imagining what a fair and equitable Oregon might look like.

Some of the imagined futures—with worsening effects of climate change, environmental harms, and social inequities—are not bright for many Oregonians. Other futures include enhanced resiliency to forest fires and flooding, more Oregonians in high-paying jobs and in secure housing, and more children walking and biking to school. But those positive futures are not guaranteed, and getting there won’t be easy. They’ll require all stakeholders—state and local government, members of all political parties, private businesses, non-profit organizations, and individual residents—to play a role in ensuring a better future for the next generation of Oregonians.

Intended for all Oregonians who care about their state’s future, Toward Oregon 2050 will also appeal to scholars and planners who have long looked to Oregon for inspiration and lessons learned. The book invites readers to envision the future of Oregon and to contribute their part toward a better future for the state.