It’s a city that’s become so synonymous with urban decay – it’s actually become a running joke across America.

But it seems things may be changing in the capital of the Pacific Northwest.

In fact Portland, Oregon, just recorded its highest levels of foot traffic since the pandemic over the summer, in a sign the city is bouncing back after ditching its previous DA. 

In a report released this week, officials said that in August the much-maligned downtown area welcomed more than 21.24 million pedestrians. 

That was an increase of 5.6 percent from the same time last year – the busiest it has been since before the pandemic, figures show. 

President and chief executive of the Portland Metro Chamber Andrew Hoan welcomed the report as a sign that the area was on the rise. 

He said: ‘Portland remains resilient, and downtown vibrancy is trending in a positive direction.’

Hoan added that he believes more needs to be done to make sure the city is better for businesses and housing.

The downtown area suffered a decline in the last few years, with tent encampments and drug use running rampant.

Its spiral was accelerated by the state’s attempt to decriminalize drugs, which reduced possession of heroin, fentanyl and meth to the level of a parking ticket.

The positive sign that the city is on the up comes after progressive District Attorney Mike Schmidt was ousted from his post last year. 

The former Multnomah County prosecutor, and his policies, had long been blamed for ruining the city. 

As crime surged, District Attorney Nathan Vasquez was voted in – running on a pledge to crack down on crime. 

Schmidt was elected May 2020 just before the death of George Floyd and the riots that pulverized cities across the country.

He vowed not to prosecute rioters unless there was evidence of ‘deliberate’ property damage, theft, or threat of force. Of 550 cases referred by police, just 47 went to trial.

Fatal opioid overdoses also surged, from 280 in 2019, to 628 in just the first six months of 2023 as homeless encampments and open-air drug markets spread throughout the city.

More than 2,600 businesses had fled the city center by September 2022 as shoppers avoided downtown areas and retail theft began to spiral.

Vasquez, however, pledged in an interview with OPB in January, shortly before being sworn in, that he would repair relationships with law enforcement. 

He also said he would work to expand capacity inside Multnomah County jails and offer substance treatment. 

Vasquez told the outlet: ‘I believe it’s time that we look at public safety as a priority. I want to see people get stable, get into a healthy situation, and then get them out of the criminal justice system. 

‘Right now, what’s happening is we’re having people cycle in and out, their crimes build, and then, oftentimes, we see individuals end up with much worse crimes and then they go to prison. 

‘We could do a much better job and really get involved earlier and head that off.’

It comes after Mayor Keith Wilson, a Democrat, issued a mass email to residents asking them to hand over time, money and items to combat homelessness. 

Wilson warned locals that they would need to chip in over fears that Donald Trump would turn his attention to cleaning up the city. 

The unusual message came in the form of an email sent to 17,000 recipients on the City Hall email list. 

Donations listed include household items such as phone charges, chairs, tables, clothing, blankets and food. 

Wilson commented on the foot traffic figures, saying: ‘Portland’s heart is beating stronger and stronger every month.

‘The businesses, unique events, and activations downtown remind us of what makes this city so special. 

‘We’ll keep building on this momentum to ensure downtown is lively every day of the week.’