Oregon Public Broadcasting

The Mayor of Portland unveiled a new plan Tuesday aimed at breathing new life into six struggling business districts around the city.

Rob Manning / OPB

Portland Mayor Sam Adams (file photo).

The city has asked six neighborhood business districts to come up with a plan for how to spend about a million dollars in property tax money over the next eight years.

It's not a great deal of cash. But it is enough for things like planters, signs, sidewalk repairs and spruced-up storefronts.

Rex Hollingsworth has lived and run his heating and cooling business in the Stark Street area for 38 years. He says it's looking very run down.

"I'm thinking if we can get Stark built back up to where it's a safe, nice area to come to, we'll bring more businesses there, which will bring more people and jobs, and we'll just make the whole area better and safer for everyone in the community ther," Hollingsworth says.

Hollingsworth wants to see places for people to sit down, like a neighborhood coffee shop and maybe a Saturday market.

The business areas are scheduled to submit their plans for council approval in May.