Civic Life Statement on Kenton Firehouse Auditor's Report

News Article

The Auditor's Office released a report regarding Civic Life's management of the Historic Kenton Firehouse. They found issues with past management of the property and made recommendations for change. Civic Life agrees with the recommendations and is already pursuing options to remedy the situation.

On March 13, the City of Portland Auditor's Office released a report regarding Civic Life's management of the Historic Kenton Firehouse in North Portland. The Auditor's Office found issues with past management of the property and made recommendations for future management.

Civic Life cooperated with the investigation to provide information and context. Civic Life agrees with the auditor's recommendations and is already taking steps to come into compliance.

Civic Life's Statement:
Civic Life agrees with the Auditor's recommendations about management of the Historic Kenton Firehouse and is already pursuing the options to remedy the situation outlined in the report.

Due to significant staff and leadership turnover in the bureau, current staff have limited knowledge and documentation about any past arrangement with the nonprofit North Portland Community Works (NPCW).

In 2020, rental activity at Kenton Firehouse was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic and did not resume. In early 2022, Civic Life identified the lack of established policy and procedure to support the previous facilities arrangement and then-Interim Director Michael Montoya ceased all rental activities and initiated corrective measures.

• Staff connected with NPCW's Executive Director Tom Griffin-Valade in search of documentation regarding the past arrangement and rental transactions. Those conversations did not yield documentation providing context or understanding.
• Staff met with Facilities and discovered that the bureau is not a landowning office and does not have landlord authority. With that information, Civic Life's then-Acting Director. T.J. McHugh explored options including transferring the ownership of the firehouse to another landowning bureau. Transfer talks began with Parks and Facilities. Ultimately, neither bureau took over ownership.
• Civic Life was transferred to the Mayor's portfolio in 2024. Staff initiated a meeting with Facilities to discuss pursuing a Memorandum of Understanding to address the need for clear policies and procedures to come into compliance.
• In the FY 2022-23 Fall BMP, prior to learning Civic Life does not have landlord authority, the bureau worked with the City Budget Office to set aside $30,000 of unencumbered funds to cover maintenance costs to establish an ongoing fund moving forward. That amount was carried over into the FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget for use once a path to asset management is secured.

Civic Life is optimistic that the bureau will satisfy the Auditors Office's recommendations and be able to provide the community with access to the Historic Kenton Firehouse.

Read the full Auditor's Report