Instead of nebulous ideas like “Community innovation spaces”, I think we would do better to give concrete paths towards starting new businesses ventures. Grants, low interest loans, rent subsidies for promising ventures, and efforts to advertise the volume of technically skilled labor that can be found here to the rest of the country to lure in more companies who are looking for strong talent pools.
The city could partner with building owners that have empty space to provided subsidized rent to startups. It would be a 6 month rent subsidy that can be renewed up to 3 time for a total of 2 years. In order to renew you must show that certain KPIs have ben meet As to what the KPIs should be I have no idea, that is way too far outside my knowledge base.
1. Build gathering places where people can get together to have their club meetings, or read, or work from their laptops, or knit, or play games. They can bring their own snacks or buy coffee, tea and snacks there. No limit on time. Like the Living Room in the Sellwood district used to be. 2. A building could be devoted to senior day care with lunch and crafts provided and outside areas with walking paths and gardens. So that they could be stimulated with going somewhere other than their own center. 3. Hydroponics. Feed the county and surrounding areas with fresh nutritious foods. A CSA could be paid for, the rest can be donated to pick up areas where no one would be turned away from getting free food. Donate to school lunches and Meals on Wheels for seniors at home. Seed collection could be donated back to the community or sold. 4. Native plant nursery. Nurseries cannot keep up with the demand nor native plant seeds. Providing more native plants shrubs and trees would help mitigate the changes with climate change, would help with the decline of our pollinators where one bite out of three of our foods requires pollination and would help with sustaining biodiversity. Nothing else on our planet is sustainable if our ecosystems collapse.
I’d like to see a startup focusing on the upcoming BCI boom. Getting in in the ground floor would be huge for the area and we have the talent to pull off a competitor to Neuralink. China has all hands on deck and it’s going to be the new space race whoever cracks the tech first. Especially if we can hijack the optic nerve or visual cortex is an easy win.
I also see spectroscopy using entangled photons becoming a big deal. Being able to image in 3d will lead to innovations in 3d modeling used for robotics, video games, holographic projections, and the metaverse
Ok, now that all sounds incredible. And while I have some idea of what your speaking about, I want you to break this one down in laymens terms for our readers. Interesting!
With those interests, you might want to check out the Gardner Lab in our backyard at University of Oregon. Tim Gardner developed a pretty incredible technique for 3D printing micron-scale neural interfaces using a two-photon polymerization process with a femtosecond laser. It appears he was at Neuralink for some time before landing at University of Oregon.
I really don’t see how there’s going to be a coming BCI boom. Certainly Not with our current healthcare system. And who’s going to be willing and able to pay tens of thousands out of pocket for an elective surgery to install BCI? (While also risking serious complications which takes us back to my first point about our healthcare system). BCI will always be a fringe idea for billionaires.
We should innovate the 3d printing of hempcrete structures in concert with the administration and creation of attendant civic policies to increase our housing supply for all income types. Emphasize the related fields of applicable prerequisite study in local public schools and community job training centers. Job training for homeless individuals to learn a living-wage trade while constructing their own homes. New zoning updates so that mother-in-law flats and tiny home plots can be added to existing residential lots.
City of Hillsboro needs pre approved building plans for ADUs. Plans for both traditional build and factory built. ( Factory built homes can be built to mobile home standards or traditional build). Investors and homeowners could get additional housing units available in months, not years.
I was on the Housing Technical Advisory Committe and that was something, as a housing expert and active member in the Build Small Coalition, that I was able to get done. That is supposed to be done soon! And if you are a housing advocate lets talk- we need a Citizens Advisory group made up of real advocates.
“Concrete gulags” is a start towards excluding a group or thinging or ideas that do not think your way. To bring ideas to reality often need consideration of a facets. Compromise. Working together. Etc. Please open yourself to everyone and all ideas.
We should lean into to our citizens desire for a truly bike forward road system. A small street cleaner to remove debris from bike lanes-acorns and sycamore husks are the worst! Green stripes are great but why not a single green line through all the roundabouts or tricky spots where lanes disappear. Covered bike racks. Amsterdam hasn’t always been bike forward!
Self reliance is always good, especially in a crisis, but starting from nothing is a high risk long time horizon when it comes to employment. Given that we have so much to offer, our community leaders should set a goal of closing deals with multiple SP 100 companies to quickly set up satellite shops here. A diverse set of new proven companies with local growth potential would make all the difference in the world.
100%. I’m bullish on new startup venture activity soon, depending on the non-competes. They’ll be enforceable for 12-months in Oregon state.
However, we can take steps now to build the infrastructure to support local entrepreneurs. Accelerators, boot camps, mentors, access to seed/angel/VC funding. TiE Oregon, OVF, Elevate Capital, etc.
Beaverton already has some great resources. We’re building Hillsboro’s with some activity but a full-on strategy (that I’m not aware of) could be missing.
Just over a year ago we were excited about the prospects of possibly getting a semiconductor research center (from CHIPS act) in Hillsboro. Now the CHIPS act has essentially been gutted by the current administration. We have an untenable situation here in the US: Our largest companies like Apple and Nvidia are dependent on chips manufactured in Taiwan – a geopolitically unstable place. What should happen (but likely won’t) is that the administration should setup a shotgun wedding of sorts between companies flush with cash (like Apple and Nvidia) that need highend CPU/GPU manufacturing and Intel which is really the only viable US option for fabbing advanced semiconductors. It could be some kind of a consortium where Apple and Nvidia (and others) would own chunks of Intel and thus recapitalize Intel to be able to complete it’s building of high end fabs.
TSMC has been building fans on US soil in fast order and are probably a better option than Intel in the current market. Should probably try to bring them into the area. They chose Arizona and Idaho instead so maybe something to bring them here.
Letter to the City of Hillsboro Re: Immediate Action Plan for Intel Layoffs – Building Hillsboro 3.0 Date: July 15, 2025 To: Mayor Steve Callaway and Hillsboro City Council From: [Your Name] Subject: Comprehensive Response Plan for Intel Layoffs and Economic Diversification ________________________________________ Executive Summary Following the announcement of Intel’s layoffs affecting 2,400+ Oregon workers (with over 500 in Hillsboro starting July 15, 2025), our city faces both a crisis and an unprecedented opportunity. Based on the official WARN notice filed July 10, 2025, and community input from the Hillsboro Herald’s “Hillsboro 3.0 – The People’s Era” initiative, we propose a comprehensive action plan to transform this setback into sustainable economic diversification. ________________________________________ Phase 1: Immediate Response (0-60 Days) Emergency Support Services • Establish Emergency Career Transition Center at Hillsboro Library or Community Center • Partner with WorkSource Oregon for immediate unemployment assistance • Create Intel Worker Registry to catalog skills, experience, and entrepreneurial interests • Launch Community Support Network connecting laid-off workers with local resources Financial Infrastructure • Emergency Small Business Loan Program – $2M initial funding for laid-off workers starting businesses • Rent Subsidy Program – 6-month renewable subsidies (up to 2 years) for startups in vacant commercial spaces • Accelerated ADU Permitting – Fast-track Accessory Dwelling Unit approvals for additional housing income ________________________________________ Phase 2: Foundation Building (60-180 Days) Educational Partnerships • Formalize retraining partnerships with Portland Community College, OSU, and OHSU • Launch “Hillsboro Skills Bridge” – rapid certification programs in high-demand fields • Create maker spaces in repurposed Intel facilities or vacant commercial buildings Innovation Infrastructure • Establish Hillsboro Innovation District – designated zones with tax incentives for startups • Launch Tech Incubator Program – 12-month accelerator for former Intel engineers • Deploy citywide high-speed fiber network – essential infrastructure for tech startups Business Development • Create “Fortune 500 Satellite Program” – actively recruit established companies to open Hillsboro offices • Establish Small Business Development Center – one-stop shop for permits, licenses, and support • Launch “Buy Local Hillsboro” initiative – supporting existing businesses during transition ________________________________________ Phase 3: Sustainable Growth (6-18 Months) Targeted Industry Development • Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Cluster – leverage existing talent to compete with Neuralink • Advanced Manufacturing Hub – 3D printing, robotics, and automation • Clean Energy Innovation Zone – solar, battery technology, and energy storage • AgTech Development – precision agriculture and food production technology Housing and Infrastructure • 3D-Printed Housing Initiative – hempcrete and sustainable building materials • Expand ADU Program – streamlined approval process for additional housing units • Complete Streets Project – bike-forward infrastructure improvements • Green Building Standards – incentivize sustainable construction Community Investment • Establish Community Investment Fund – funded by data center assessments and fees • Create Hillsboro Venture Capital Fund – city-backed seed funding for local startups • Launch “Homegrown Entrepreneurs” program – support for local food production and urban agriculture ________________________________________ Phase 4: Long-term Resilience (18+ Months) Economic Diversification • Target 20% reduction in single-employer dependence within 5 years • Establish minimum of 10 companies with 100+ employees each • Create innovation ecosystem that generates 500+ new jobs annually Education and Workforce Development • Permanent Innovation Campus – partnership with universities for research and development • K-12 STEM Enhancement – prepare next generation for emerging industries • Lifelong Learning Initiative – continuous education programs for all residents Regional Leadership • Become Pacific Northwest innovation hub – compete with Seattle and San Francisco • Establish Hillsboro as “Silicon Forest 2.0” – more diverse and resilient than original tech boom • Create regional economic cooperation – coordinate with Portland, Beaverton, and Oregon City ________________________________________ Funding Strategy Immediate Funding Sources (Phase 1-2) • Emergency Economic Development Fund – $10M from city reserves • Federal CHIPS Act Recovery Funds – pursue available federal assistance • State Economic Development Grants – coordinate with Oregon Business Development • Data Center Assessment Revenue – implement fees on existing data centers Long-term Funding (Phase 3-4) • Innovation District Tax Increment Financing – capture increased property values • Hillsboro Venture Capital Fund – $25M capitalization over 3 years • Public-Private Partnerships – leverage private investment for infrastructure • Federal and State Grant Programs – systematic pursuit of available funding ________________________________________ Success Metrics 6-Month Targets • 300+ laid-off workers enrolled in retraining programs • 50+ new business applications filed • 10+ companies committed to Hillsboro expansion • Innovation District boundaries established 12-Month Targets • 150+ new jobs created outside Intel • 25+ successful startup launches • 5+ major companies established satellite offices • Fiber network covering 80% of city 24-Month Targets • 500+ new jobs in diversified industries • 20% reduction in Intel employment dependence • $50M in new private investment attracted • National recognition as innovation hub ________________________________________ Implementation Timeline Week 1-2: Emergency services activation, WARN notice analysis Week 3-4: Community meetings, stakeholder engagement Month 2: Partnership agreements with educational institutions Month 3: Innovation District designation and incentive programs Month 6: First cohort of retraining programs complete Month 12: Major milestone assessment and strategy adjustment Month 18: Full innovation ecosystem operational Month 24: Comprehensive economic impact evaluation ________________________________________ Call to Action The Intel layoffs represent a defining moment for Hillsboro. We can either allow this crisis to diminish our community or use it as a catalyst for building a more resilient, diversified economy. The talent, infrastructure, and community spirit exist to make Hillsboro 3.0 – The People’s Era a reality. We respectfully request: 1. Emergency City Council session within 7 days to approve initial funding 2. Formation of Economic Transition Task Force with community representation 3. Immediate outreach to affected Intel workers to begin needs assessment 4. Coordination with state and federal officials for additional support The time for action is now. Our neighbors need immediate support, and our community’s future depends on the decisions we make in the coming weeks.
The commentor may have used that- but it does not make the comments of no value. The article was 100% written by yours truly – so- submission is not something I understand – as proven by almost 700 orignial stories over the past 5 years-
The image for this article is AI generated and that information is not called out anywhere. It’s all good to talk about people-oriented direction discussions, but using AI is anti-artist and unprofessional. I would expect better.
So, we are going to have these pie in the sky programs from this but not really address the real problems we face. Again. Sigh. No expanding the building boundary for real inexpensive housing? No? No cutting down the anti-business name calling? Not like we have to live with them, just better to push article after article slamming them.
I get it, thousands of people that make 180,000+ getting fired is bad. But tell that to the single mother trying to make it. You want to improve things? Well, you have to give up something. You will need to give up land for housing and more large companies to come in. Bring jobs. Because that is what you want, those jobs and their money to stay. So, you are going to have to get them another place they can work. Don’t get them wrong, large companies want to come here, and if they did, someone getting fired from intel would be hired by them and your jobs is saved. But you have to be pro company. You cannot have a guy pounding on his keyboard screaming gulags.
Now about your “startups”. 90% of them will fail. Which means 90% of your resources you give them just go into the garbage. And the 10% that make it, well they quickly move to places with reasonable taxes, affordable housing, and friendly towards business culture. Places like Texas. So, you are creating a company for future Texas to benefit from. Unless you stop calling them gulags, stop taxing them out of business, and build housing for their employees to live in.
Gwyn – expanding the UGB does not work. It never has. The reason is land is bought and optioned years before the UGB moves at $500K to $1 Million per acre. Those prices dictate High end homes, or the occassional Section 8 but the list is 3 years long and fileld with people outside our area. Permits for a small infill cottage are $60,000 not including land and the cost to build. That is a Hillsboro issue. I am a housing expert and consultant and have 43 years in on this matter. The current people in office do not fathom what it takes to create a home at any size. Here is one of many articles I have written. https://hillsboroherald.com/unintended-bias-and-inequity-revealed-in-hillsboro-housing-policies/ And I am pleading monthly with Beach, and the Councilors to do something. Rental Apartments built by wealthy individuals are offered those same permits and SDCs per unit at a fraction of the cost of someone wanting to built. And I agree- we need living wage homes that are not for the lowest wage earners- this town is Rich people with homes and the rest is supposed to be a Potter’s Field of poor. And we can do this- we can fix this. But the team at City Hall are not having it. Same at Wahsington County. If any of them ever built a unit or a home and had to suffer what you have or what I have this would not be an issue. But so it is. And it is people like you with a voice that need to be heard. The UGB expansions will only work when we say to land owners, “hey- look you want your and to go from $60K an Acre to $650K an acre. Yah, NO! But how about we let you in and a builder and you partner to build homes at $200K to $400K- then you get in- so maybe you only get $250K an acre. But we want to work with people who want to help people- so we will only let folks into the Urban Growth Boundary who want to be a part of the solution- let us know if you want to play ball”- That is what they do in Arizona. And that actually works- and the land owner gift them parks, school sites, and open spaces- sort of like the mob doing deals. But here we are.
I would love to see a space artist/crafters can rent out a personal room. Many people have supplied and a stash, but not a craft room or workroom in their house. It can become a “third place” in the community to be creative and create a space for people to come together.
Commercial space communication satellites, space mining, zero gravity manufacturing, solar powered data centers in space, and human expansion in space are the next fast growing tech activity. These developing industries start with inventions created on the Earth. The sky’s the limit.
The first step is always an assessment of assets. Hillsboro is graced with light rail connection to PDX, a thriving agricultural community, stunningly beautiful surroundings, proximity to some of the best winemakers in the world, a robust arts community, & talented hard working people. It (and Oregon) lack world class educational infrastructure and ready access to capital. This will limit access to top talent. Perhaps looking to communities (even in other countries) as models for capitalizing on natural assets to build merchant and tourist based economies?
Sure would have been nice if some of the new fabs being built by TSMC, Samsung and others were located in Oregon. These fabs are being built in states like Texas and Arizona, which have a more business-friendly attitude, and fewer Nimbies. If Oregon wants a vibrant economy, it needs to have a pro-business environment.
Oregon garnered tens of thousands of jobs in the 90s and 2000s because our business incentives were second to none. Cheap land, water, electricity, and a world class lifestyle in Oregon brought them all here. Now we have those things, just as we did before, but the Trump Admin has gutted the CHIPS ACT, it punishing Blue States while catering to Red States, and Oregon has lost its lead. But pretending this is all an OREGON problem is a false narrative. There is every reason they can still come here and thrive- but this Admin in the WHITE HOUSE will not allow that- not any margin of it.
Instead of nebulous ideas like “Community innovation spaces”, I think we would do better to give concrete paths towards starting new businesses ventures. Grants, low interest loans, rent subsidies for promising ventures, and efforts to advertise the volume of technically skilled labor that can be found here to the rest of the country to lure in more companies who are looking for strong talent pools.
More of this! Critical thinking at its best. What do u think would be a good example of this and how its would work?
The city could partner with building owners that have empty space to provided subsidized rent to startups. It would be a 6 month rent subsidy that can be renewed up to 3 time for a total of 2 years. In order to renew you must show that certain KPIs have ben meet As to what the KPIs should be I have no idea, that is way too far outside my knowledge base.
1. Build gathering places where people can get together to have their club meetings, or read, or work from their laptops, or knit, or play games. They can bring their own snacks or buy coffee, tea and snacks there. No limit on time. Like the Living Room in the Sellwood district used to be.
2. A building could be devoted to senior day care with lunch and crafts provided and outside areas with walking paths and gardens. So that they could be stimulated with going somewhere other than their own center.
3. Hydroponics. Feed the county and surrounding areas with fresh nutritious foods. A CSA could be paid for, the rest can be donated to pick up areas where no one would be turned away from getting free food. Donate to school lunches and Meals on Wheels for seniors at home. Seed collection could be donated back to the community or sold.
4. Native plant nursery. Nurseries cannot keep up with the demand nor native plant seeds. Providing more native plants shrubs and trees would help mitigate the changes with climate change, would help with the decline of our pollinators where one bite out of three of our foods requires pollination and would help with sustaining biodiversity. Nothing else on our planet is sustainable if our ecosystems collapse.
Some of these options we have versions of- but all of these would be totally great and totally possible on City owned lands and with private partners!
“The People’s Era”
So, in other words – more promises of utopia while Hillsboro chases the remaining businesses out.
At some point, people will realize this is a folly and always has been. I hope it’s not too late when they do.
I think you’re right
I’d like to see a startup focusing on the upcoming BCI boom. Getting in in the ground floor would be huge for the area and we have the talent to pull off a competitor to Neuralink. China has all hands on deck and it’s going to be the new space race whoever cracks the tech first. Especially if we can hijack the optic nerve or visual cortex is an easy win.
I also see spectroscopy using entangled photons becoming a big deal. Being able to image in 3d will lead to innovations in 3d modeling used for robotics, video games, holographic projections, and the metaverse
Ok, now that all sounds incredible. And while I have some idea of what your speaking about, I want you to break this one down in laymens terms for our readers. Interesting!
With those interests, you might want to check out the Gardner Lab in our backyard at University of Oregon. Tim Gardner developed a pretty incredible technique for 3D printing micron-scale neural interfaces using a two-photon polymerization process with a femtosecond laser. It appears he was at Neuralink for some time before landing at University of Oregon.
https://www.gardnerlab.xyz
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39152-7
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7450988/pdf/nihms-1544339.pdf
I really don’t see how there’s going to be a coming BCI boom. Certainly Not with our current healthcare system. And who’s going to be willing and able to pay tens of thousands out of pocket for an elective surgery to install BCI? (While also risking serious complications which takes us back to my first point about our healthcare system). BCI will always be a fringe idea for billionaires.
We should innovate the 3d printing of hempcrete structures in concert with the administration and creation of attendant civic policies to increase our housing supply for all income types.
Emphasize the related fields of applicable prerequisite study in local public schools and community job training centers.
Job training for homeless individuals to learn a living-wage trade while constructing their own homes.
New zoning updates so that mother-in-law flats and tiny home plots can be added to existing residential lots.
Yes, Yes, Yes! We do allow Mother In-Law ADUs- cottages, etc- just not tiny homes. But we should! And greta thinking!
Thank you, Adam. Fascinating stuff. Wild times we are in and it will take real innovators to get us to the Next Thing!
Is greta thinking a typo, or a nod to greta thunberg? :-)
the typo from Dyslexia – and aging vision!
City of Hillsboro needs pre approved building plans for ADUs. Plans for both traditional build and factory built. ( Factory built homes can be built to mobile home standards or traditional build). Investors and homeowners could get additional housing units available in months, not years.
I was on the Housing Technical Advisory Committe and that was something, as a housing expert and active member in the Build Small Coalition, that I was able to get done. That is supposed to be done soon! And if you are a housing advocate lets talk- we need a Citizens Advisory group made up of real advocates.
“Concrete gulags” is a start towards excluding a group or thinging or ideas that do not think your way. To bring ideas to reality often need consideration of a facets. Compromise. Working together. Etc.
Please open yourself to everyone and all ideas.
We should lean into to our citizens desire for a truly bike forward road system. A small street cleaner to remove debris from bike lanes-acorns and sycamore husks are the worst! Green stripes are great but why not a single green line through all the roundabouts or tricky spots where lanes disappear. Covered bike racks. Amsterdam hasn’t always been bike forward!
Self reliance is always good, especially in a crisis, but starting from nothing is a high risk long time horizon when it comes to employment. Given that we have so much to offer, our community leaders should set a goal of closing deals with multiple SP 100 companies to quickly set up satellite shops here. A diverse set of new proven companies with local growth potential would make all the difference in the world.
100%. I’m bullish on new startup venture activity soon, depending on the non-competes. They’ll be enforceable for 12-months in Oregon state.
However, we can take steps now to build the infrastructure to support local entrepreneurs. Accelerators, boot camps, mentors, access to seed/angel/VC funding. TiE Oregon, OVF, Elevate Capital, etc.
Beaverton already has some great resources. We’re building Hillsboro’s with some activity but a full-on strategy (that I’m not aware of) could be missing.
Just over a year ago we were excited about the prospects of possibly getting a semiconductor research center (from CHIPS act) in Hillsboro. Now the CHIPS act has essentially been gutted by the current administration. We have an untenable situation here in the US: Our largest companies like Apple and Nvidia are dependent on chips manufactured in Taiwan – a geopolitically unstable place. What should happen (but likely won’t) is that the administration should setup a shotgun wedding of sorts between companies flush with cash (like Apple and Nvidia) that need highend CPU/GPU manufacturing and Intel which is really the only viable US option for fabbing advanced semiconductors. It could be some kind of a consortium where Apple and Nvidia (and others) would own chunks of Intel and thus recapitalize Intel to be able to complete it’s building of high end fabs.
Very smart and insightful! Thanks!
TSMC has been building fans on US soil in fast order and are probably a better option than Intel in the current market. Should probably try to bring them into the area. They chose Arizona and Idaho instead so maybe something to bring them here.
Letter to the City of Hillsboro
Re: Immediate Action Plan for Intel Layoffs – Building Hillsboro 3.0
Date: July 15, 2025
To: Mayor Steve Callaway and Hillsboro City Council
From: [Your Name]
Subject: Comprehensive Response Plan for Intel Layoffs and Economic Diversification
________________________________________
Executive Summary
Following the announcement of Intel’s layoffs affecting 2,400+ Oregon workers (with over 500 in Hillsboro starting July 15, 2025), our city faces both a crisis and an unprecedented opportunity. Based on the official WARN notice filed July 10, 2025, and community input from the Hillsboro Herald’s “Hillsboro 3.0 – The People’s Era” initiative, we propose a comprehensive action plan to transform this setback into sustainable economic diversification.
________________________________________
Phase 1: Immediate Response (0-60 Days)
Emergency Support Services
• Establish Emergency Career Transition Center at Hillsboro Library or Community Center
• Partner with WorkSource Oregon for immediate unemployment assistance
• Create Intel Worker Registry to catalog skills, experience, and entrepreneurial interests
• Launch Community Support Network connecting laid-off workers with local resources
Financial Infrastructure
• Emergency Small Business Loan Program – $2M initial funding for laid-off workers starting businesses
• Rent Subsidy Program – 6-month renewable subsidies (up to 2 years) for startups in vacant commercial spaces
• Accelerated ADU Permitting – Fast-track Accessory Dwelling Unit approvals for additional housing income
________________________________________
Phase 2: Foundation Building (60-180 Days)
Educational Partnerships
• Formalize retraining partnerships with Portland Community College, OSU, and OHSU
• Launch “Hillsboro Skills Bridge” – rapid certification programs in high-demand fields
• Create maker spaces in repurposed Intel facilities or vacant commercial buildings
Innovation Infrastructure
• Establish Hillsboro Innovation District – designated zones with tax incentives for startups
• Launch Tech Incubator Program – 12-month accelerator for former Intel engineers
• Deploy citywide high-speed fiber network – essential infrastructure for tech startups
Business Development
• Create “Fortune 500 Satellite Program” – actively recruit established companies to open Hillsboro offices
• Establish Small Business Development Center – one-stop shop for permits, licenses, and support
• Launch “Buy Local Hillsboro” initiative – supporting existing businesses during transition
________________________________________
Phase 3: Sustainable Growth (6-18 Months)
Targeted Industry Development
• Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) Cluster – leverage existing talent to compete with Neuralink
• Advanced Manufacturing Hub – 3D printing, robotics, and automation
• Clean Energy Innovation Zone – solar, battery technology, and energy storage
• AgTech Development – precision agriculture and food production technology
Housing and Infrastructure
• 3D-Printed Housing Initiative – hempcrete and sustainable building materials
• Expand ADU Program – streamlined approval process for additional housing units
• Complete Streets Project – bike-forward infrastructure improvements
• Green Building Standards – incentivize sustainable construction
Community Investment
• Establish Community Investment Fund – funded by data center assessments and fees
• Create Hillsboro Venture Capital Fund – city-backed seed funding for local startups
• Launch “Homegrown Entrepreneurs” program – support for local food production and urban agriculture
________________________________________
Phase 4: Long-term Resilience (18+ Months)
Economic Diversification
• Target 20% reduction in single-employer dependence within 5 years
• Establish minimum of 10 companies with 100+ employees each
• Create innovation ecosystem that generates 500+ new jobs annually
Education and Workforce Development
• Permanent Innovation Campus – partnership with universities for research and development
• K-12 STEM Enhancement – prepare next generation for emerging industries
• Lifelong Learning Initiative – continuous education programs for all residents
Regional Leadership
• Become Pacific Northwest innovation hub – compete with Seattle and San Francisco
• Establish Hillsboro as “Silicon Forest 2.0” – more diverse and resilient than original tech boom
• Create regional economic cooperation – coordinate with Portland, Beaverton, and Oregon City
________________________________________
Funding Strategy
Immediate Funding Sources (Phase 1-2)
• Emergency Economic Development Fund – $10M from city reserves
• Federal CHIPS Act Recovery Funds – pursue available federal assistance
• State Economic Development Grants – coordinate with Oregon Business Development
• Data Center Assessment Revenue – implement fees on existing data centers
Long-term Funding (Phase 3-4)
• Innovation District Tax Increment Financing – capture increased property values
• Hillsboro Venture Capital Fund – $25M capitalization over 3 years
• Public-Private Partnerships – leverage private investment for infrastructure
• Federal and State Grant Programs – systematic pursuit of available funding
________________________________________
Success Metrics
6-Month Targets
• 300+ laid-off workers enrolled in retraining programs
• 50+ new business applications filed
• 10+ companies committed to Hillsboro expansion
• Innovation District boundaries established
12-Month Targets
• 150+ new jobs created outside Intel
• 25+ successful startup launches
• 5+ major companies established satellite offices
• Fiber network covering 80% of city
24-Month Targets
• 500+ new jobs in diversified industries
• 20% reduction in Intel employment dependence
• $50M in new private investment attracted
• National recognition as innovation hub
________________________________________
Implementation Timeline
Week 1-2: Emergency services activation, WARN notice analysis
Week 3-4: Community meetings, stakeholder engagement
Month 2: Partnership agreements with educational institutions
Month 3: Innovation District designation and incentive programs
Month 6: First cohort of retraining programs complete
Month 12: Major milestone assessment and strategy adjustment
Month 18: Full innovation ecosystem operational
Month 24: Comprehensive economic impact evaluation
________________________________________
Call to Action
The Intel layoffs represent a defining moment for Hillsboro. We can either allow this crisis to diminish our community or use it as a catalyst for building a more resilient, diversified economy. The talent, infrastructure, and community spirit exist to make Hillsboro 3.0 – The People’s Era a reality.
We respectfully request:
1. Emergency City Council session within 7 days to approve initial funding
2. Formation of Economic Transition Task Force with community representation
3. Immediate outreach to affected Intel workers to begin needs assessment
4. Coordination with state and federal officials for additional support
The time for action is now. Our neighbors need immediate support, and our community’s future depends on the decisions we make in the coming weeks.
Drafted by Claude (AI Tool) — https://claude.ai/public/artifacts/8afe4d31-a0c6-43fd-becc-a2a6b98f1e16
The Mayor is Beach Pace- but well reasoned response.
Let’s make this Hillsboro 3.0 thing stick! I can use your help-
Please follow up on this comment by sending this to the Council at this link: https://www.hillsboro-oregon.gov/our-city/departments/city-manager-s-office/hillsboro-101/contact-the-city-council
You can “select all” of send to all at the bottom of the form!
Thanks!
Submission complete. This plan was drafted by Claude (an AI) in less then 2 minutes after providong it with your story.
The commentor may have used that- but it does not make the comments of no value. The article was 100% written by yours truly – so- submission is not something I understand – as proven by almost 700 orignial stories over the past 5 years-
submission (for me) means I emailed it to city and county officials.
Intel fired me after eleven years of service.i’m happy to discuss it
Ron, I want to talk – please send me your number via text to -503-799-8383.
The image for this article is AI generated and that information is not called out anywhere. It’s all good to talk about people-oriented direction discussions, but using AI is anti-artist and unprofessional. I would expect better.
Maybe read the story and captions – 110% clearly labeled as such.
So, we are going to have these pie in the sky programs from this but not really address the real problems we face. Again. Sigh. No expanding the building boundary for real inexpensive housing? No? No cutting down the anti-business name calling? Not like we have to live with them, just better to push article after article slamming them.
I get it, thousands of people that make 180,000+ getting fired is bad. But tell that to the single mother trying to make it. You want to improve things? Well, you have to give up something. You will need to give up land for housing and more large companies to come in. Bring jobs. Because that is what you want, those jobs and their money to stay. So, you are going to have to get them another place they can work. Don’t get them wrong, large companies want to come here, and if they did, someone getting fired from intel would be hired by them and your jobs is saved. But you have to be pro company. You cannot have a guy pounding on his keyboard screaming gulags.
Now about your “startups”. 90% of them will fail. Which means 90% of your resources you give them just go into the garbage. And the 10% that make it, well they quickly move to places with reasonable taxes, affordable housing, and friendly towards business culture. Places like Texas. So, you are creating a company for future Texas to benefit from. Unless you stop calling them gulags, stop taxing them out of business, and build housing for their employees to live in.
Gwyn – expanding the UGB does not work. It never has. The reason is land is bought and optioned years before the UGB moves at $500K to $1 Million per acre. Those prices dictate High end homes, or the occassional Section 8 but the list is 3 years long and fileld with people outside our area. Permits for a small infill cottage are $60,000 not including land and the cost to build. That is a Hillsboro issue. I am a housing expert and consultant and have 43 years in on this matter. The current people in office do not fathom what it takes to create a home at any size. Here is one of many articles I have written. https://hillsboroherald.com/unintended-bias-and-inequity-revealed-in-hillsboro-housing-policies/ And I am pleading monthly with Beach, and the Councilors to do something. Rental Apartments built by wealthy individuals are offered those same permits and SDCs per unit at a fraction of the cost of someone wanting to built. And I agree- we need living wage homes that are not for the lowest wage earners- this town is Rich people with homes and the rest is supposed to be a Potter’s Field of poor. And we can do this- we can fix this. But the team at City Hall are not having it. Same at Wahsington County. If any of them ever built a unit or a home and had to suffer what you have or what I have this would not be an issue. But so it is. And it is people like you with a voice that need to be heard. The UGB expansions will only work when we say to land owners, “hey- look you want your and to go from $60K an Acre to $650K an acre. Yah, NO! But how about we let you in and a builder and you partner to build homes at $200K to $400K- then you get in- so maybe you only get $250K an acre. But we want to work with people who want to help people- so we will only let folks into the Urban Growth Boundary who want to be a part of the solution- let us know if you want to play ball”- That is what they do in Arizona. And that actually works- and the land owner gift them parks, school sites, and open spaces- sort of like the mob doing deals. But here we are.
I would love to see a space artist/crafters can rent out a personal room. Many people have supplied and a stash, but not a craft room or workroom in their house. It can become a “third place” in the community to be creative and create a space for people to come together.
Commercial space communication satellites, space mining, zero gravity manufacturing, solar powered data centers in space, and human expansion in space are the next fast growing tech activity. These developing industries start with inventions created on the Earth. The sky’s the limit.
The first step is always an assessment of assets. Hillsboro is graced with light rail connection to PDX, a thriving agricultural community, stunningly beautiful surroundings, proximity to some of the best winemakers in the world, a robust arts community, & talented hard working people. It (and Oregon) lack world class educational infrastructure and ready access to capital. This will limit access to top talent. Perhaps looking to communities (even in other countries) as models for capitalizing on natural assets to build merchant and tourist based economies?
Great framework by which to move ahead!!
Sure would have been nice if some of the new fabs being built by TSMC, Samsung and others were located in Oregon. These fabs are being built in states like Texas and Arizona, which have a more business-friendly attitude, and fewer Nimbies. If Oregon wants a vibrant economy, it needs to have a pro-business environment.
Dean-
Oregon garnered tens of thousands of jobs in the 90s and 2000s because our business incentives were second to none. Cheap land, water, electricity, and a world class lifestyle in Oregon brought them all here. Now we have those things, just as we did before, but the Trump Admin has gutted the CHIPS ACT, it punishing Blue States while catering to Red States, and Oregon has lost its lead. But pretending this is all an OREGON problem is a false narrative. There is every reason they can still come here and thrive- but this Admin in the WHITE HOUSE will not allow that- not any margin of it.
Dirk;
I googled “Top states for business in the US”. Oregon was ranked 39th.
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/07/10/top-states-for-business-americas-2025-the-full-rankings.html
There are other rankings out there, but Oregon is no where near the top in any of them.
The problem is not with Trump – it’s with Oregon.