Assessing Government’s Solutions for Urban Growth within a Sustainable Development Approach: The case of Portland, Oregon

A growing number of cities around the world have been chasing the Sustainable Development Model, balancing between economic health, environment resilience and social equity in an overall transparent governance. Given the demographic trend of cities welcoming an increasing share of the world’s population, urban planners and government officials are challenged by a growing Urban Density. With a significant population increase pace, the city of Portland, Oregon will need to efficiently address Urban Density. The leadership in Sustainability that the largest city of Oregon is claiming could be jeopardized by the effects of Urban Density. What should Portland’s urban planners and policies makers do to overtake this challenging trend and remain in a leading position in Sustainability? Various solutions exist. Urban Sustainable Development literature shows us that cities embrace Urban Density by applying different set of adaptive tools in order to become or remain sustainable. Using a Hierarchical Decision Model, this paper aims to develop an adapted multi-perspective, multi-criteria model that will fit Portland’s needs for a sustainable overtake of Urban Density. Then, by submitting this model to an experts’ panel, it aims to conclude with a ranked proposal of solution alternatives to keep the city of Portland a Sustainability leader