People of the Gorge
People belong in the Gorge.
We love this place, and we’re working to advocate for one of its most precious resources: the people who live here. For too long, outside policies and special interests have shaped the Gorge without fully listening to our local communities. We believe our residents deserve the same protection and care as the landscapes we cherish. People of the Gorge advocates for the wellbeing, dignity, and future of everyone who calls this place home by ensuring they’re in the room wherever housing and land use decisions are made.
Our Mission
We help Gorge residents understand and influence the decisions that shape housing, growth, and community life. One of our core priorities is ensuring strong public participation in the 2026 update of the Gorge Management Plan, the rulebook that decides what can be built in the National Scenic Area and where our communities can grow.
Sign up for our email list to receive notice of when public meetings will be held, including our neighbor-run NSA resident town halls. We’ll also share other opportunities to voice your perspective as a resident about your experiences with finding safe and affordable housing, making a living from the land, and interactions with the public institutions that shape our daily lives here in the Gorge.
Share Your Voice
The Gorge Management Plan is being updated in 2026, and the system urgently needs reform.
For decades, communities have faced confusing, inconsistent, and burdensome rules that are making it harder for families to live, work, and stay in the Gorge.
This is our moment to fix it.
Join People of the Gorge to make sure residents have a real voice in shaping the next decade of land-use policy.
Our Values
We love where we live, and so we try to keep a few core values at the center of our efforts:
People belong in the Gorge.
Gorge Residents have the right to be safe and housed.
Gorge Residents have the right to autonomous self-governance.
Struggled with National Scenic Area Rules?
Whether you’ve tried to make repairs to your home, rebuild after a disaster, or complete other updates to your property, we’re looking to identify patterns in the NSA permit application and review experience that need reform. Help us find opportunities to take action together.
