Portland Relocated Residents From Franklin Towers

The Portland Housing Authority initiated a relocation plan after testing revealed PCBs in the 16-story building.

Updated on Oct. 9, 2026 in Apartments

Bold vector editorial illustration of an apartment building facade draped in white construction sheeting and scaffolding. — The Portland Housing Authority has relocated 150 households from Franklin Towers to facilitate building renovations after tests confirmed the presence of PCBs. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you trust your local housing authority to adequately support residents during building displacement?

The Portland Housing Authority has begun relocating 150 households from the 16-story Franklin Towers following the discovery of PCB chemicals in the structure. The agency is providing housing assistance and covering moving costs for all affected residents.

Why it matters

The relocation is required to facilitate necessary building renovations necessitated by the presence of hazardous materials. Ensuring safe living conditions for these households remains the primary goal of the authority during this transition.

Franklin Towers is a 16-story building originally constructed in the 1960s that currently houses 150 households. The housing authority is actively assisting in the relocation process for all residents.

The players

Portland Housing Authority

This local government agency is responsible for overseeing public housing projects and providing rental assistance to eligible low-income residents in Portland.

The details

The Portland Housing Authority is managing the transition by assisting residents with housing vouchers to secure new rental units. These extensive renovations are expected to take several months to ensure the building is safe for future occupancy.

The Franklin Towers building was constructed during the 1960s.
The relocation of residents for building renovations began in October 2026.

Culture Shift

The remediation of older residential structures reflects a legacy issue that follows a pattern set by the 1970s federal bans on polychlorinated biphenyls. This process underscores the ongoing challenge of maintaining urban housing stock to meet modern safety and environmental standards.

Displaced residents will rely on housing vouchers to secure new rental units during the building closure. The broader community should note that this adds pressure to the local rental market, which currently features 17,000 units citywide.

The takeaway

The discovery of hazardous materials highlights the critical need for proactive safety inspections in aging high-rise residential properties. Residents affected by such building closures should maintain close contact with their local housing agencies to ensure all relocation benefits are utilized.