Oregon Public Broadcasting

Oregon’s political junkies were stunned to learn Wednesday that Portland’s longest-serving commissioner Erik Sten is resigning.

Having won his last four-year seat just two years ago, people both inside and outside his offices were taken by surprise.

Nevertheless, as Kristian Foden-Vencil reports, new candidates are wasting no time announcing their intentions to run for his seat.

Sten announced his decision in the Portland newspaper, Willamette Week.

Erik Sten

Erik Sten: “I’ve been in city hall for 17 years. I’ve served on the council for just over 11. The short version is that there comes a time in everyone’s life where something in your gut tells you it’s time to do something different. I’ve been doing this for a long time. And I just felt like it’s time to be more private and see what comes next in life.”

Sten says he doesn’t have any definite plans, but he’d like to work in the private sector -- maybe in the environmental technology field or in the housing sector, where he has a good reputation.

Erik Sten: “I’m talking to private companies and maybe I’ll start something myself. But like I said I think, I’m just going to take a little time. It’s going to be private for sure. Part of what’s. My son’s getting close to school age, there’s been a death in the family in the last couple of years. And I’m kind of feeling like I need a little bit of a breather.”

Sten has become known for his work to try and end homelessness. He’s also helped the city add more than 10,000 affordable apartments and homes.

In fact, advocates for inexpensive housing, like Michael Anderson of the ‘Community Development Network,’ are saddened by news of his departure.

Michael Anderson: “It’s going to be a big loss for the city of Portland to fill the leadership that he’s had in these positions. There’s a lot of people in elected office who will work for their most influential constituents. Erik was someone who worked for the under represented and that’s something that we could always use more of.”

But while Sten may have been well loved by Anderson and others,  replacements are already lining up.  Employment lawyer and former city council hopeful, Nick Fish, wasted no time Wednesday.

Nick Fish: “I am actively planning to run for the seat. Again I just found out this morning and have barely had a chance to talk to my wife and my colleagues as work, but in life, timing is everything.”

Other names that have been whispered about city hall as possible contenders include Serena Cruz, Dave Lister and Metro Councilor Robert Liberty.

But meanwhile, a lot of people are wondering why a politician, who’s arguably at the top of his game, decides to step down in the middle of his term. Reasons like spending more time with family have been cited by other departing politicians, including some embroiled in controversy.

But OPB  political analyst Bill Lunch  says the lives of politicians, just like everyone else, have seasons.

Bill Lunch: “It is entirely plausible to me that he doesn’t at this moment know exactly what he’s going to do for a living say two months out. But by the spring of 2008, by March, I’d be very, very surprised if Sten didn’t have an interesting job working in the private sector, for a non-profit, or maybe sinking so low as to become a lobbyist.”

Sten says he has no intentions of becoming a lobbyist. And, despite being a strong supporter of Hillary Clinton’s presidential bid, he doesn’t think he has enough clout to garner the kind of position he’d like should she win.

He says he’s proud of the work he’s done in Portland. But the city he says, still has issues it needs to deal with.

Erik Sten: “The things that I really worry about are, who can afford to live here. We’ve gone from, when I first started working on housing issues in 1991, the fundamental issue in Northeast Portland was that we had 2000 abandoned homes that were worth so little that people gave them back to the county over taxes. No there are no vacant homes and many people who grew up here can’t afford them. So we’re going to be a very special city, but are we going to be a place that everybody can afford. And that’s why I’ve focused so much on affordable housing.”

Three of the five Portland City Council seats are now up for grabs in the May primary – Erik Sten’s, Sam Adams’ and Mayor Tom Potter’s.