Building relationships. Reducing barriers. Elevating marginalized voices.

These were among the many purposes of two community dialogues hosted this summer by the City of Hillsboro Economic & Community Department’s Planning Division.

Each 90-minute conversation — one in English, one in Spanish — took place at the Hillsboro Community Senior Center, with dinner and childcare provided by staff to make participation easier.

During each of the open-ended dialogues, between 20 – 30 community members from diverse backgrounds:

• shared their feelings about housing, growth, and development in Hillsboro
• connected and exchanged ideas with Planning staff
• discussed opportunities to get involved in land use planning, now and in the future.

“These conversations were intentionally open-ended to support meaningful dialogue and to elevate community voices,” said Long Range Planning Manager Dan Rutzick. “Listening and learning is a central part of our ongoing work to develop connections, increase community input in decision-making, and center the voices of marginalized communities.”

Heading into 2026 and beyond, Hillsboro Economic and Community Development Department staff will continue engaging with community members to understand diverse needs and ensure community input is received ahead of community planning decisions.