PORTLAND, Oregon — Last December, descendants and surviving Black Portlanders who were forced out of their homes in the Central Albina district in the 1960s and '70s filed a lawsuit against the city of Portland, Prosper Portland and what is now Legacy Emanuel Health, demanding they make up for a historical wrong.
On Tuesday, a federal judge heard oral arguments on a motion to dismiss the case. The case itself was brought by Emanuel Displaced Persons Association 2, also known as EDPA2. The court told the plaintiffs it would try to rule on the motions within 60 days.
In the lawsuit, plaintiffs explained that 171 families were forced from their homes in the predominantly Black neighborhood by a hospital expansion project that never happened. The lawsuit alleges a conspiracy between city leaders and the hospital decades ago to remove Black people from Central Albina under a "false name of progress and the removal of 'blight.'"
Since the initial filing, attorneys for the defendants have urged the court to throw out the lawsuit, arguing the plaintiffs lack standing and that it's too late to bring this case.
EDPA2 issued this statement on Tuesday:
"Today, U.S District Court Judge Michael H. Simon heard oral arguments on the motions to dismiss the case brought by Emanuel Displaced Persons Association 2, and 26 Black survivors and descendants of families over the racist destruction and forced displacement from the historic Central Albina neighborhood. The court said that it would try to rule on the motions within 60 days. We remain steadfast in our mission and focus to correct the past and ongoing harm of the defendants, who intentionally destroyed our thriving Black neighborhood."
KGW reached out to the defendants, who all said they could not comment on pending litigation.