Metropolitan Portland is often cited as a model for regional planning and growth management. In the 19905, both academics and the popular press discovered the Portland region, connecting our quality of life--vibrant urban places, natural beauty, and healthy economy--with our unique forms of regional cooperation and land use planning. Metropolitan Portland became the avatar of an emerging New Regionalism, a movement characterized not only by its spatial nature, but also by an interest in holistic solutions integrating a variety of issue areas. One central tenant of this movement is the ability of regional policies to address growing inequities and inefficiencies associated with gaps in regional governance and metropolitan authority in an eta of ever increasing inter and intra metropolitan competition. Home to Metro, the nation\u27s only elected regional government, the Portland region is lauded for protecting the environment through preservation of farmland and open space and for promoting the economy through facilitating the development of vibrant urban centers. However, how does the region define and act on issues of social and economic equity
