By Jessica Ward, November 4, 2025
I recently joined the Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland, hosted by the Fair Housing Council of Oregon. This powerful tour explores Portland’s history of housing discrimination and the communities that fought for fairness and inclusion.
Portland’s hidden housing history—stories about exclusion, resilience, and progress.
It was more than an educational experience. It was emotional. I left with a deeper understanding of how Oregon’s past still shapes our neighborhoods today.
Beginning at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Statue 🏛️
Our first stop on the Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland was the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. statue outside the Oregon Convention Center. The monument depicts three figures: Dr. King, an immigrant worker, and a child. Together, they represent courage, unity, and the hope for equality.
Standing before the statue, I thought about the people who came to Oregon searching for opportunity. Many immigrants, workers, and families were met with laws that excluded them instead of welcoming them. Early Oregonians argued that housing was a “personal transaction” and that government shouldn’t interfere. Sadly, that belief created space for systemic housing discrimination that lasted generations.
From Albina to Montavilla: A City Divided 🏙️
Next, the Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland visited neighborhoods that were once separate towns — Albina, Montavilla, and others. Each area has a story of growth, loss, and resilience.
Albina once served as the heart of Portland’s Black community. Williams Avenue buzzed with Black-owned businesses, music venues, and cultural pride. By the 1990s, Albina’s population was about 75% Black. By 2020, it had dropped to 25%. Many families were pushed east to Gresham and East Portland, where sidewalks, grocery stores, and public services remain scarce.
Portland’s transformation tells a difficult truth. It’s now considered one of the most gentrified cities in the nation. Understanding how that happened is crucial if we want to build a more inclusive city.
The Bigger Picture: Land, Power, and Policy 🌎
The Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland also explained how government policy shaped who could own land. The Donation Land Act of 1850 gave white settlers millions of acres of Native land. Later, the Dawes Severalty Act of 1887forced Native families into individual ownership, which led to widespread land loss.
Even in the 1900s, injustice continued. Between the 1930s and 1960s, less than 2% of FHA loans went to nonwhite families. These policies prevented homeownership for thousands and deepened racial wealth gaps that still exist today.
The Golden West Hotel: A Symbol of Community and Pride 🏨
Another memorable stop on the Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland was the Golden West Hotel, once the largest Black-owned hotel on the West Coast. Located near Union Station, it gave Black travelers a safe place to stay during segregation.
The building still stands today, owned by Central City Concern, but its legacy runs deeper. Nearby stood Mount Olivet Baptist Church, which the Ku Klux Klan pushed to move out of downtown. These stories revealed how racism wasn’t only social — it was systemic and deliberate.
Hard Truths and Lessons Learned ⚖️
The tour continued to uncover painful chapters of history. At the Portland Expo Center, we learned it was once used as a Japanese American assembly center during World War II. Families, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens, were held there before being sent to internment camps.
We also discussed Portland’s Red Squad, a police unit that targeted activists, and the Silver Shirts, a local hate group modeled after Nazi Germany’s brownshirts. These facts were hard to hear but necessary to confront.
Hearing these stories, I was reminded of one quote from our guide:
“Every accusation is a confession.”
It spoke to the hypocrisy of discrimination — how fear often projects itself outward, targeting others to mask its own insecurity.
Connecting the Past to the Present 🌾
The Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland also highlighted how inequity reached beyond the city. During the 1970s, small family farms collapsed as big agriculture took over. Whether in rural or urban Oregon, communities with less power lost the most.
Writer William Faulkner once said, “The past isn’t even past.” After this tour, that quote felt more real than ever. Portland’s history lives in its streets, its housing, and its policies.
Why You Should Take This Tour ✊
This tour changed how I see my city. It connected history, policy, and humanity in a way that reading alone cannot. Whether you’re a local resident, a student, a business owner, or part of a community organization, this experience is worth taking.
Go as an individual or bring your company, team, or group. The conversations that follow will inspire awareness, empathy, and change.
Final Reflection
The Fair Housing Bus Tour Portland isn’t just about the past — it’s about our responsibility now. Learning these stories helps us understand why equity and fair housing matter today.
If you live in Oregon, I encourage you to take the tour. It will challenge you, inform you, and move you to think differently about what “home” truly means.
Contact me today! To read more about my expertise in East Portland check out my blog
Jessica Ward
Broker | ADU Specialist | OR & WA
She/Her
My life is fueled by a profound passion for serving others and making a positive impact on my community.
https://youtu.be/x1kSQm5UdQo?si=Wam5-ZRcj3VTRn_g I’m a Great NW native and— five years into this industry—a broker known for delivering results while making people feel genuinely taken care of. I grew up in Portland and Southwest Washington, and I know this market—its neighborhoods, culture, pricing nuances, and opportunities. That lived understanding informs every recommendation I make. I’m inclusive of all people, price points and committed to creating a space where clients feel safe, respected, and fully themselves. I’m a mother to my daughter, Wynter Katie, and a dog mom to a very cute Yorkshire terrier, which keeps me grounded in real life and real perspective.When I’m not working, you’ll find me hiking in the Gorge, wine tasting in the Willamette Valley, dining at local restaurants, hosting social gatherings, perusing an art gallery, flowing through hot yoga, drinking a good hazy IPA at a brewery, listening to an audiobook or podcast, attending a networking event, chaperoning my daughters field trips. boating on the river, or unwinding at local spas and bathhouses.
I stay deeply connected to my community through volunteering and board participation. I’m especially passionate about children’s needs—particularly those involved in the foster care system—climate impact and sustainability, justice and equity for people of color, and mental health advocacy.
My clients consistently rate their experience with me five stars, whether they are buying selling or simply attending one of the first time home buying classes I host for free to educate and empower the community. I’ve been called the “queen of resources and connections,” and I take that seriously. I’m known for navigating down payment assistance programs, grants, ADUs, seller financing, and non-traditional paths to ownership with ease and clarity. Think polished expertise with a side of “I got you.” Access is power. Education is leverage. And I believe everyone deserves both. I’m also a real estate investor who manages my own properties, including an ADU, so my guidance is grounded in lived experience. I understand long-term value, cash flow, development potential, and creative strategy—not just on paper, but in practice. As a black woman in real estate, I lead with excellence and purpose in an industry where representation is still very rare. I’m honored to be the first African American broker in Oregon state history to close a transaction with a Black-owned title and escrow company, but my greatest accomplishment is impact—helping clients secure stability, build wealth, and step confidently into ownership. I run a tight ship—transparent, strategic, and supportive—but don’t get it twisted, we’ll laugh too. I bring luxury-level service without the stiffness. Professional polish with real and genuine personality. To me, real estate isn’t just about property—it’s about security, freedom, and community. And when you work with me, you’re not just closing a deal… you’re building something bigger. Follow along: @Jessica_TheHomeGirlWhat Clients Are Saying:
Clients consistently share that working with me feels:
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Supportive and steady, even in high-pressure moments
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Clear and transparent, with no unanswered questions
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Strategic and informed, particularly during negotiations
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Personal, never transactional
First-time buyers say they felt educated and empowered. Sellers value my pricing insight and communication. Investors trust my numbers, perspective, and long-term thinking. Five stars—because the experience is intentional!
Affiliations and Accolades:
- ADU Specialist
- Earth Advantage Certified
- Portland NAACP (Member)
- LRR Diversity Chair Award Winner
- Lents Neighborhood Association (Former President)
- Youth Rights and Justice (Board Member & Sponsor)
- Asian Real Estate Association of America (Member)
- National Association of Real Estate Brokers (Member)
- Portland Metropolitan Association of Realtors (Member)
- Broker Advisory Group at Living Room Realty (2024-2026)
- T: 971-230-8164
- jessicaw@livingroomre.com
