District 3 candidate · Portland City Council · November 3, 2026
Kellie Torres
Portland Parks external-affairs manager and former commissioner’s chief of staff.
Reach the campaign
- kellietorresforportland.com (opens in a new tab)
- Volunteer form (opens in a new tab)
- Instagram (opens in a new tab)
- Facebook (opens in a new tab)
As published in their pamphlet statement and campaign site.
Campaign finance: sources, amounts and timing ↓
In their words
Said: PORTLAND HAS BIG CHALLENGES. KELLIE TORRES CAN TURN THEM INTO OPPORTUNITIES.
Pamphlet p. 58
Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; extracted September 20, 2026
Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 58 ↗Verbatim opening of the candidate's own statement; publication by the county does not verify the claims. The two all-caps sentences follow a tagline with no predicate (“THE VALUES TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER. THE EXPERIENCE TO GET THINGS DONE.”), which is skipped.
The verbatim opening of their voters’ pamphlet statement, the same rule for every candidate. We chose nothing.
What they say they would do
Our summary of their platform, in our wordsEmphasizes public-service experience, partnerships and protection of core services.
- Protect services and require accountability for spending.
- Support small businesses and safe, connected neighborhoods.
- Defend immigrant families and civil rights.
Our reading
Our interpretation, not their wordsShe treats administrative coordination and partnerships as ways to increase city capacity. Private or philanthropic support can help projects, but it does not establish stable operating revenue or guarantee equal investment across neighborhoods.
Where they stand
Rent and homes
4,000 homes yearly; prevent evictions- What
Sets a goal of 4,000 homes a year, faster permits and fewer building barriers. Also supports targeted rent assistance and eviction prevention; would publish results against the goal.
Full position and context
Her expanded priorities page adds targeted rent assistance, eviction prevention and legal help. She would track permits, starts, completions, affordability and processing times against her 4,000-home annual goal, and change policies when progress falls short.
Earlier sourced position: Sets a goal of enabling 4,000 homes annually through fewer code barriers, faster permitting and a mix of housing types, including affordable homeownership and multi-unit housing, balanced with neighborhood stability. This is a campaign target, not a forecast.
- How
- Said: Would combine targeted rent assistance, eviction-prevention legal help and faster permits, then publish a dashboard of permits, construction starts, completions and affordability.
- Measured by
- Said: Housing built at the rate of 4,000 units a year.
Camps, crime and who responds
Fill police vacancies; expand crisis care- What
Would fill funded police jobs first, then consider more officers based on need. Also supports broader Street Response eligibility, safety protocols and public reporting on response times.
Full position and context
Her expanded priorities page would fill funded police vacancies first, then consider more positions based on workload and response times, using ongoing funding. She also supports broader Street Response eligibility with safety protocols and tracking calls shifted away from police.
Earlier sourced position: Supports public-safety staffing and resources so police can follow through on investigations and fix emergency response times, plus cleaner, better-lit public spaces, upholding community standards and connecting people in crisis with lifesaving services.
- How
- Said: Would fill funded police vacancies first, tie additional positions to workload and response times, and expand Street Response eligibility with safety protocols and ongoing funding.
- Measured by
- Said: Says the results to watch are emergency response times and whether police follow through on investigations.
Your bills and taxes
Seek partners and private donations- What
Would seek business partnerships, philanthropy and sponsorships for public projects, including a new waterfront gathering space. Committed funding and total costs are not established here.
Full position and context
Would expand public-private partnerships, philanthropy and sponsorships; proposes a reimagined Tom McCall Waterfront Bowl. Costs and committed funding are not established on the reviewed page.
- How
- Said: Would leverage philanthropic investment, sponsorships, volunteerism and private expertise to stretch taxpayer dollars, with performance measures and regular public reporting.
- Measured by
- Not found in the reviewed sources
Streets, buses and air
Protect parks, trails and habitat- What
Would improve parks, trails, river access and natural habitat through public and private partnerships.
Full position and context
Emphasizes parks, trails, river access and habitat restoration through public and private partnerships.
- How
- Not found in the reviewed sources
- Measured by
- Not found in the reviewed sources
The choices this office faces
Every candidate in this race is asked the same 9 questions. Kellie Torres is on record on 5, with 4 still open. A question without an answer is a research gap, not a position.
No answer we could findPublic money and terms for renovating the Moda Center?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Restrict new AI data centers in the city?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Keep the monthly street repair fee?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Raise water bills to pay for the Bull Run filtration plant and system repairs?
Nothing on this exact choice in the sources we reviewed.
Rezone the inner east side to allow apartment buildings off the main streets (the Inner Eastside Zoning Project)?
Said: Supports re-legalizing “appropriately scaled” apartments throughout inner Portland and would support the Inner Eastside Zoning Project.
When, if ever, would they raise taxes or fees?
Said: For the lowest-income housing she would combine bond money, tax increment financing, construction excise tax revenue, public land and state and federal programs, and move unspent housing dollars; she names no new tax or fee.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Add police officers, expand non-police responders, or both?
Said: Supports public safety staffing and resources that let police follow through on investigations and fix emergency response times; the page does not say whether that means hiring more sworn officers.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Keep funding camp removals at current levels?
Said: Would focus encampment relocation on genuine health and safety risks, with notice, outreach, property storage and a meaningful offer of shelter or housing; she does not say whether removal funding should stay at its level.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Expand Portland Street Response to a full 24/7 role?
Said: Supports sustaining and improving Portland Street Response, with clear performance standards and stronger coordination with behavioral-health providers and other first responders; she does not say whether it should run around the clock.
On the topic; the exact choice is unsaid.
Council votes
No Council vote yet. That is not a judgment about experience.
A question the evidence leaves open
Which services would receive priority if revenue falls short?
Sources (4)
- Multnomah County voters’ pamphlet · PDF page 58Candidate statement · November 2026 edition; reviewed September 18, 2026Written by the candidate or campaign. Publication by the county does not verify the claims.
- Portland: Neighbors Welcome 2026 endorsement questionnaire · Kellie Torres’s responsesCandidate statement · Responses posted September 22, 2026; reviewed October 14, 2026The candidate’s own written answers, published by a group that endorses in this race. Campaign position; claimed results have not been independently verified.
- Torres · prioritiesCandidate statement · Website reviewed September 18, 2026Campaign position. Claimed results and numerical premises have not automatically been independently verified.
- Kellie Torres · expanded prioritiesCandidate statement · Accessed November 2, 2026The candidate’s stated proposal, not a verified outcome or an endorsement. An undated page does not establish when the position was first adopted.