PORTLAND, Ore. — The family at the center of the “Red House” conflict in North Portland said they’re in touch with the mayor’s office every day and the two sides continue to have common ground on finding a way for the family to keep the home.
The comments came during a press conference over Zoom late Friday afternoon, which included three family members.
The home on North Mississippi Avenue has been the source of tension between law enforcement, the city and the Kinney family. That tension reached new heights last week when police again tried to clear the property, which the family lost to foreclosure two years ago and has refused to leave. In response, protesters set up fences and camps around the property to prevent the Kinneys, a Black and Indigenous family, from being evicted. Advocates for the family say the eviction of the Kinneys is another example of a long history of gentrification in Portland.
Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office announced last weekend that the city and family had reached an “agreement in principle” that resulted in the reopening of streets and sidewalks around the "Red House."
The mayor’s office released a statement on Thursday, saying it appeared the family had option to regain ownership of the home and encouraged them “to pursue those options as quickly as possible.” The mayor's office also said they continue to hear reports of crime in the neighborhood.
During their press conference, the family said they have been the victims of crime, unfairly targeted and mistreated.
As for when a resolution may come, the Kinney family said it’s too early to know. They said they’re working on finalizing a retainer agreement with a lawyer to represent their interests. The family called the negotiations with the mayor’s office at its “infancy” stage. They said they have not spoken with the developer, who has said he’s open to selling the home back to the family.
More than $300,000 has been raised for the family through crowdfunding efforts. The family said they’re holding the money until they get direction from a lawyer on how to use it. One goal, the family said, is to have some of it go back into the community, potentially through a community center. They expressed gratitude to those who have donated and called the support for them “unprecedented.”