Florida General Aviation Airport Becomes Migrant Detention Center: Widespread Reports of Human Rights Violations at "Alligator Alcatraz"
"In little over a week, workers transformed the Dade-Collier Training and Transition
Airport from an 11,000-foot runway into a temporary tent city..."
–CNN report by Alaa Elassar and
Rafael Romo
In addition to Miami International, Miami-Dade County owns four General Aviation (GA) airports including the Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport (TNT), now known as "Alligator Alcatraz."
The 2017 Miami-Dade Aviation Department Airport Layout Plans Report, provides historical background on the Dade-Collier Training and Transition facility,
"TNT which was originally designated as the 'Everglades Jetport' is located 36 miles west of the Miami central business district within the Florida Everglades. Although the Airport is located within the eastern-most portions of Collier County, it is owned by Miami-Dade County and operated by the Miami-Dade Aviation Department. Once planned to be one of the largest commercial air carrier airports to serve southeast Florida, TNT was envisioned to grow to an eventual six-runway airport that would accommodate modern air carriers and the [then] planned U.S. Supersonic Transport aircraft. Because of environmental concerns, construction was halted after the completion of a single runway. The facility is currently available for use by general aviation users having prior permission and MDAD-issued permit, but is closed from sunset to sunrise. The limited use and role of TNT and its ability to attract and/or accommodate or generate additional aviation activity is not anticipated to change in the foreseeable future." (See pg A-1)
Per the Executive Summary of a Miami-Dade County Strategic Airport Master Plan 2017-2020,
"The Airport's primary purpose is to provide a precision-instrument landing and training facility in South Florida for commercial pilots, private training, and a small number of military touch-and-goes. It is expected that TNT will continue to serve this purpose and the existing facilities can accommodate the anticipated increase in aircraft operations." (Pg. 21)
"The one runway constructed at TNT is still maintained to this day...Development at TNT is based around maintaining the current airfield with one additional taxiway connector to increase access to tenant facilities." (Pg. 35)
For additional information on the purpose of this airport click here.
According to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Terminal Area Forecast (TAF), the airport logs 14,468 operations per year.
There is nothing in either the Airport Master Plan or Airport Layout Plan suggesting that a migrant detention center was planned for this publicly funded facility. (Note, funding for U.S. GA airports is generated in large part from fees affixed to commercial airline passenger tickets and cargo shipments. See FAA Airport Improvement Program for additional details.)
The Dade-Collier Training and Transition Airport is one of 3,287 existing public use airports included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems (NPIAS). As a NPIAS airport, it receives federal funding through the FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) (see pgs. 1-2). According to estimates, this airport is eligible for $1,234,028 during the 2025-2029 spending cycle (see pg. A-27). In addition, it was approved for federal grants during previous NPIAS funding cycles including, but not limited to, the following:
- $256,250 (2021-2025)
- $2,239,278 (2019-2023)
- $2,165,578 (2017-2021)
Airports that accept federal money are bound by grant assurance obligations requiring them to continue operating as an airport for 20 years after accepting the funding.
In summary, TNT is a general aviation NPIAS airport with designated aviation-specific uses regulated by the FAA.
Nonetheless, the "Alligator Alacatraz" migrant detention center was recently established at this airport.
As explained by Sommer Brugal in a 7/1/2025 Axion report, Florida Says 'Alligator Alcatraz' Is Temporary. Trump Isn't So Sure,
"Despite opposition, the DeSantis administration seized the land, which is owned by Miami-Dade County, and began building...The facility has 3,000 beds, with the space to fit more, officials said, and a staff village for up to 1,000 people."
Human Rights Violations
Multiple reports attest to the inhumane conditions at this facility.
Below are the opening paragraphs of a 7/13/2025 CNN article, Florida Lawmakers Allowed into 'Alligator Alcatraz' Say Detainees Packed into Cages,
"Deep in the hazardous and ecologically fragile Everglades, hundreds of migrants are confined in cages in a makeshift tent detention facility Florida's Republican governor calls "safe and secure" and Democratic lawmakers call "inhumane."
Two days after filing a lawsuit against Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis for being "unlawfully denied entry" to inspect conditions at the facility dubbed "Alligator Alcatraz," members of Congress and state representatives were given a limited tour Saturday to inspect conditions after calling the lack of access a "deliberate obstruction meant to hide what's really happening behind those gates," according to a joint statement from lawmakers.
They said they heard detainees shouting for help and crying out "libertad"—Spanish for "freedom"—amid sweltering heat, bug infestations and meager meals.
"They are essentially packed into cages, wall-to-wall humans, 32 detainees per cage," Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, who represents Florida's 25th Congressional District, said during a news conference following their tour.
The families of some of the detainees have also decried conditions in the facility, while Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials defend it as offering higher detention standards than many US prisons."
To read the entire article click here.
A 7/11/2025 CBS Miami news report, Immigrants Describe Worms in Food, Fecal Flooding at Alligator Everglades Detention Center, offers additional detail.
People held at the Alligator Alcatraz immigration detention center in the Everglades say worms turn up in the food, toilets don't flush, floors flood with fecal waste and mosquitoes and other insects are everywhere.
Inside the compound's large white tents, rows of bunkbeds are surrounded by chain-link cages.
Detainees are said to go days without showering or getting prescription medicine, and they are only able to speak by phone to lawyers and loved ones.
At times the air conditioners abruptly shut off in the sweltering heat.
Days after President Donald Trump toured it, attorneys, advocates, detainees and their relatives are speaking out about the makeshift facility, which Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration raced to build on an isolated airstrip surrounded by swampland. Detainees began arriving July 2.
"These are human beings who have inherent rights, and they have a right to dignity," immigration attorney Josephine Arroyo said. "And they're violating a lot of their rights by putting them there."
To read the article in full click here.
Questions
This alarming situation provokes many questions. A few are listed below.
- What is the role of Miami-Dade County in promoting the detention center and what steps are they taking to insure due legal process and compassionate care and treatment are available to detainees?
- What procedures and processes did the county/FAA/State of Florida/Federal government engage in to turn a publicly funded GA airport into a migrant detention center?
- Has the FAA produced a policy statement on this matter?
- Is the FAA working with the government to use other U.S. airports as detention centers?
- Do governors in other states intend to seize airports and turn them into detention centers?
- Are there legal procedures currently in place allowing governors to seize airport lands? If so this information should be made readily available to interested members of the community.
- Can governors commandeer airport lands for purposes other than jailing, mistreating and deporting detainees? For instance, can a governor seize an airport to provide affordable housing, schools, parks, open spaces, gardens, medical facilities, and other essential human services.
Take Action
Contact your elected officials. Demand answers to the above questions. Tell them to take immediate actions to stop the egregious mistreatment of detainees.
Tell Lawmakers to Stop Foisting the Cost of General Aviation Airports onto the Public: Oppose HB 2153
On 3/24/2025 the Joint Committee on Transportation held a hearing on HB 2153, a bill promoted by the Oregon Department of Aviation (ODAV) likely to require commercial airline passengers to assume the cost burden of subsidizing Oregon's general aviation airports. A work session held on 5/5/2025 proposed adding to the tax burden already included in HB 2153.
According to ODAV Director Kenji Sugahara, the department operates 28 state public use airports,12 of which are federally funded. In addition it licenses and inspects 96 public use airports and registers 360 private airports. A significant portion of the funding for ODAV and these facilities is already paid for with public money via generous Connect Oregon grants. Additional funds are generated from a tax on leaded fuel passed during the 2015 legislative session. The federal government also distributes millions of dollars in public money, mostly from airline passenger fees, to Oregon airports.
ODAV became a separate state agency in 1999. Prior to that time, it was recognized as the Division of Aeronautics within the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT). Nonetheless, it continues to benefit from ODOT's Connect Oregon program.
ODAV's primary purpose is to serve the privileged few, less than one-quarter of one percent of the population, certified to fly out of Oregon's general aviation airports. Needless to say, the vast majority of Oregonians lack the financial wherewithal to own, lease, or rent private airplanes, helicopters and luxury jets, and thus have no cause to use these facilities
As noted in testimony submitted by Alaska Airlines in opposition to the bill:
"HB 2153 (2025) proposes to increase Oregon's commercial aviation fuel taxes by more than 100%, doubling the tax rate from 3 to 6 cents-per-gallon and introducing a unique biennial rate adjustment according to any increase in the Consumer Price Index. The resulting revenue would be used predominantly to support general aviation airports not utilized by commercial airlines or their passengers."
Airlines for America also opposes the bill:
"This increase unfairly targets commercial aviation and may not comply with federal law regarding the use of jet fuel tax revenue...Fuel is one of the highest costs for airlines, and any increase in costs could be passed on to passengers or absorbed through cuts to service which often impact small and medium communities." [Emphasis added]
According to joint testimony submitted by the The Port of Portland and Redmond Municipal Airport,
"It is inequitable to propose any further increase in the state aviation fuel tax. As detailed by the Airlines for America in their analysis, airlines collect federal taxes from passengers and shippers to fund the FAA's Airport Improvement Program (AIP) which provides federal grants for airports small and large. In fiscal year 2024, Oregon's commercial service airports received less than half the state's AIP grants of nearly $51 million, with Portland International Airport (PDX) receiving only 14 percent."
Allegiant Air and Oregon Business & Industry also submitted testimony opposing the bill.
Those who supported the bill were predominantly the operators of general aviation airports across the state poised to gouge the public yet again to benefit the for-profit flight training schools, charter jet companies, hobbyists, and lavish transportation choices of private pilots and aviation businesses as well as airport and aircraft owners. Many are recipients of previous Connect Oregon and ODAV grants.
To access the testimony submitted both for and against this bill click here.
The testimony submitted by this writer opposing the bill is available here.
The users of these airports routinely bombard the local residents forced to subsidize them with relentless noise, lead emissions, PM2.5 and a host of other carcinogenic pollutants. As such they pose a serious risk to public health and the environment. Instead of funding these airports, the legislature should be enacting laws requiring airports to monitor aviation generated noise, toxins and greenhouse gases in an effort to protect their constituents from the harms posed by this mode of transportation.
Take Action
Contact your state legislators. Urge them to oppose HB 2153. To find your state and federal legislators click here.
Hillsboro Airport Receives Yet Another Government Handout
An article by Nick LaMora, Federal Funds Fuel Major Taxiway Project at Hillsboro Airport, appeared in the 5/14/2025 edition of the Forest Grove News-Times. It focuses on yet another HIO expansion project. The author credits U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley for their role in securing the grant money.
The announcement followed on the heels of a controversial decision by the Port of Portland to revoke its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies to comply with Trump Administration threats to withhold federal funding from recipients who honor their commitment to addressing the injustices perpetrated by government agencies against minority, indigenous, and disadvantaged peoples. It also followed on an earlier Port decision to approve an HIO hangar development project for an out-of-state firm that serves wealthy jet owners.
The Hillsboro Airport (HIO) primarily serves Hillsboro Aero Academy, a for-profit flight training school owned by two east coast investment firms: Graycliff Partners and Renovus Capital. It is managed by Max Lyons, the previous owner of the flight school and current owner of Hillsboro Aviation. In addition, HIO caters to charter jet companies as well as private and recreational pilots.
Below are the opening paragraphs of the News-Times article:
Millions in federal dollars are being directed toward upgrades at Hillsboro Airport to ease delays and accommodate growing air traffic.
On Wednesday, May 14, Oregon lawmakers announced $22.7 million in federal airport improvement grants for seven airports statewide from the Federal Aviation Administration — $3.14 million of which was allocated to the Port of Portland for work in Hillsboro.
The funding will support construction of a new 1,300-foot crossfield taxiway, dubbed Taxiway K, designed to improve safety and efficiency at the north end of the airfield. The new strip will connect two taxiways and enhance access to a main runway, according to Port documents.
To view the article in full click here.
HIO's Reliance on Government Funding
Ownership of the Hillsboro Airport (HIO) was transferred from the City of Hillsboro to the Port of Portland in 1966. From the outset the Port was reliant on Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) funding (Pg. 1-2). In the nearly 60 years the Port has operated HIO, it has not been able to run a solvent, self-sustaining, revenue generating facility. Instead HIO remains chronically dependent on government hand-outs, funding that is largely generated by fees affixed to the ticket prices paid by airline passengers flying in and out of commercial airports. In addition to federal grants, HIO also receives money from the Oregon Department of Aviation.
The primary source of federal airport funding is the Airport and Airway Trust Fund (AATF). The FAA Airport Improvement Program (AIP) is part of this program.
According to the FAA, the trust fund "may cover both capital and operating costs." Per the AATF website:
In recent years, the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), which provides grants for construction and safety projects at airports, has been supplemented by the General Fund, including $400 million in both FY 2020 and FY 2021 and $554.2 million in FY 2022.
The Trust Fund provides the primary source of funding for FAA and receives revenues principally from a variety of excise taxes paid by users of the National Airspace System. The excise taxes are imposed on domestic passenger tickets, domestic flight segments, and international passenger arrivals and departures, and on purchases of air travel miles for frequent flyer and similar programs. In addition, taxes are imposed on air cargo waybills and aviation fuel purchases. The largest source of excise tax revenues are related to transportation of passengers.
Since HIO is a General Aviation (GA) airport that does not provide scheduled commercial passenger service, the users of this airport contribute very little into funding this facility. Instead, they essentially get a free ride on the public dime. Though larger jets pay a landing fee, the vast majority of the student, private and recreational pilots do not. In addition, owners of private aircraft pay less to register their aircraft than owners of motor vehicles do.
For example, my husband and I recently paid $221.00 in registration renewal costs for our 2017 Corolla: $196 went to the Department of Motor Vehicles and $25 to the Department of Environmental Quality. Our renewal is required every two years so this comes to just over $110 per year. Shockingly, our fees exceed the $65 annual cost of registering piston engine helicopters and single engine aircraft in Oregon. A twin-engine aircraft that delivers twice the noise and pollution as a single engine, pays only $150 each year. These are the types of aircraft frequently used by the student pilots who relentlessly circle homes, schools, neighborhoods, prime farmland and waterways while spewing noise, lead, and other toxins, often at low altitudes. For additional information on ORS 837.045 aircraft registration fee requirements click here.
In short, GA airports essentially serve those wealthy enough to own, lease, and charter helicopters, fixed wing aircraft and private jets, as well as for-profit flight training and other aviation businesses.
To fund the privileged few who use these airports, the Port and the aviation sector lobby millionaires in Congress to subsidize their expensive hobbies, transportation choices, and lavish lifestyles. Based on 2018 data, roughly two-thirds of U.S. Senators and half of all Congressional Reps are millionaires. Among their ranks are Oregon Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, both of whom advocated to increase funding and expand operations at HIO while conveniently ignoring environmental, ecological, global warming, livability, and public health impacts.
Neither of Oregon's senators expressed any concern whatsoever about the three-quarters of a ton of lead HIO releases into the environment each year or the relentless noise generated by this facility. After all, the children and minorities disproportionately impacted by this airport aren't major contributors to their campaign funds, whereas affluent pilots, jet owners and aviation businesses have the potential to generously line their pockets.
This is but one of a myriad of examples of the degree to which politicians and lawmakers, in their zeal to cultivate wealthy donors, have lost touch with their constituents.
Testimony Opposing Port of Portland DEI Policy Revocation
On April 21, 2025, the Port of Portland Board of Commissioners held a special meeting to revoke their Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) policies. A recording of the 21 minute session is available here.
According to Commission Chair Coba, the Port received comments from about 70 people; the vast majority opposed revocation.
The following testimony, also in opposition to the Port's decision, was submitted by Blaine Ackley at the May 14, 2025 commission meeting.
May 14, 2025
Chair Coba and Commissioners:
I come before you today with two main issues on my mind and the juxtaposition of those issues with recent actions of the Port and the Commission. And the answer to those two issues brings a third issue that is even more distressing in my mind.
First, we have the Port abandoning all of its DEI language in policy and programs at a special meeting. Without checking with other Port Authorities and without any legal challenge whatsoever, the Commission gives up their Constitutional Rights and the rights of the public and workers who use and serve the Port. I would remind you that if you don't stand up for your rights you will lose them and you chose to lose them because of the money that you might lose from the FAA if the government's position was held up in court.
Second, prior to this (in my view) catastrophic DEI action from the Port Commission, and after years and months of delay, deflection, and obfuscation, I received an email message from the Port that sometime in the summer or next fall, the Port will have a Draft Plan about ending the sale of leaded avgas at the Hillsboro and Troutdale Airports.
In the first instance, we have the possibility that the Port could lose money from federal grants unless DEI language was eliminated. In the second instance where the health and well-being of the citizens in the vicinity of these airports is concerned, the Port is dragging its feet in doing anything meaningful. THIS IS A PUBLIC HEALTH CRISIS, and the tactic is to delay and deflect.
As a wise person once said, follow the money and that is exactly what you have done.
You already know that this is a morally reprehensible and you will have to live with that on your conscience for the rest of your lives. I suspect that many of you are not happy to be in this position. If that is true, then DO SOMETHING!
How will you explain this vote to your children and grandchildren?
In closing, I would like to ask you to stop the Port from allowing the Hillsboro Air Show to continue. With the airshow, you are slapping the residents in the face. Oh, you don't like the lead in the air, well let's give you an overload of lead emissions over three days. I will tell you that we must leave town because we are directly in the flight path and the noise is so loud that it physically shakes our house and of course allows the fine lead particles into our playgrounds, yards, vegetable gardens, and ecology. We don't need or want the airshow.
Blaine Ackley, Hillsboro
Blaine Ackley is a University of Portland Associate Professor Emeritus, specializing in organizational change and teacher education. Formerly, he was an elementary, middle school, high school teacher and administrator in Idaho, Chile, Oregon, and Alaska. His education includes a BA in History, Political Science, and Sociology from the University of Montana (1961-65), M.Ed. (1973) and an Ed.D. from the University of Oregon (1991). For more than two decades, he has advocated for the elimination of lead from aviation fuel as well as the reduction of aviation noise and pollution generated by the Hillsboro Airport.
Testimony submitted by Miki Barnes in opposition to the Port's decision to revoke DEI policies is available at this link.
Partner of Tragic Fairview Plane Crash Victim Files Lawsuit
In this photo provided by Portland Fire & Rescue, firefighters use handlines to extinguish the fire adjacent to the primary structure involved after a small plane crashed Saturday, Aug. 31, 2024, in Fairview, Ore. (Greg Muhr/Portland Fire & Rescue via AP)
On 8/31/2024 around 10:30 AM, within minutes of departing from the Troutdale Airport (TTD) for a maintenance test flight, a Cessna twin-engine Golden Eagle, N421GP, crashed into a residential neighborhood in Fairview, Oregon. Troutdale Airport, owned and operated by the Port of Portland, is a general aviation facility that primarily serves recreational pilots and flight students. It is located approximately nine miles east of the Portland International Airport (PDX).
The Federal Aviation Administration Registry revealed that the aircraft was owned by Circle Capital Industrial IAC LCC, 8 The GRN Ste A, Dover, Delaware 19901, one of the defendants identified in the lawsuit.
On the morning the tragedy unfolded, witnesses described hearing a loud explosion followed by billowing plumes of smoke as the aircraft collided with power lines, burst into flames and crashed into a row of eight townhouses. A 75 year-old woman, Barbara McDonald, who was sleeping in her home at the time, was killed.
Both occupants aboard the aircraft also perished - the pilot, 73 year-old Mike Busher of Beavercreek, Oregon, and flight instructor, 79 year-old Jackie Whitford from Arizona. Follow-up Oregonian coverage of the event revealed that "Whitford's flight instructor certificate had expired on July 31, 2022, and there was no medical information available on file for her so she wouldn't have been able to pilot the plane. Her family said she was riding as a passenger."
According to the Preliminary NTSB report:
"Examination of the accident site revealed that the first identifiable point of contact was high-tension powerline wires about 110 ft in height. The debris path, which consisted of various airplane fragments, vegetation, and residential structure debris was about 703 ft in length and 477 ft wide, oriented on a heading of about 120° magnetic. All major structural components of the airplane were located throughout the debris path. The main wreckage was located within a residential structure."
Nine thousand residents were left without power. At least four of the homes were rendered unlivable. Per an Associated Press article:
"The plane knocked over a pole and power lines as it went down, causing a separate brush fire in a nearby field, according to the Multnomah County sheriff's office. The plane was split into multiple parts as it crashed in the residential area."
Lawsuit Filed by Partner of Fairview Crash Victim
Below are the opening paragraphs of a 4/25/2025 KATU News segment by Jeff Kirsch, Wrongful Death Lawsuit Filed in Connection with Deadly Fairview Plane Crash. Scroll to the end of the report for a copy of the legal filing.
PORTLAND, Ore. (KATU) – The partner of a woman killed when a plane struck the townhome they shared filed a $10 million wrongful death lawsuit in Multnomah County Court Thursday.
Shortly after takeoff from Troutdale Airport, the plane had flown above the TPA or traffic pattern altitude.
The pilot said they were having "handling problems". According to court documents, the tower told all other planes to stand by and instructed the pilot to attempt to land on runway 7.
PAST COVERAGE | NTSB reveals details on Fairview plane crash that killed 3: 'I can't get this thing to-'
But they heard no further radio transmissions from the pilot and the plane continued to descend about 2 miles south of runway 25 and then struck a powerline before hitting an oak tree and slamming into McDonald's home on NE Heartwood Circle.
The suit names Circle Capital Industrial LLC, Emerald Aircrafters, and the estates of pilots Michael Busher and Jacqueline Whitford, who also died that day.
The lawsuit, which includes a demand for a jury trial, summarizes the tragic events leading up to Barbara McDonald's death as follows:
"Recorded surveillance video footage from a camera located about 1.4 miles west-southwest of runway 25 showed the accident airplane in a descending left turn with the landing gear extended. The airplane was on a southeasterly heading when the left wing struck high tension powerlines. The airplane continued a southeast heading and impacted a mature oak tree, and then slammed into Mrs. MacDonald's home, ripping through the roof and collapsing inside. Fuel spilled from the airplane, and was ignited inside the home, burning the residence, and Mrs. MacDonald. Mrs. MacDonald perished from her injuries."
This is the second lawsuit filed this year involving fatal accidents associated with Port of Portland owned and operated general aviation airports. In January, the parents of a student who died during a 10/03/2023 instructional flight, originating from the Hillsboro Airport, filed a lawsuit. In this event, the flight instructor also perished when the aircraft crashed into a residential home in Newberg, Oregon. A third passenger was seriously injured. For additional detail on this tragedy click here.
For information on other Portland Metro area fatal general aviation accidents click here.
News Articles on Hillsboro Airport Private Jet Hanger Development: Hillsboro NewsTimes and KATU2
"The median net worth of a full and fractional private jet owner is $190 million and
$140 million respectively. They represent 0.0008 percent of the global population. The jet-owning
oligarchy is overwhelmingly male, over the age of 50, and concentrated in the industries of banking,
finance, and real estate."
–Patriotic Millionaires and Institute for Policy
Studies, High Flyers,
May 2023 publication.
Hillsboro NewsTimes
An article by Nick LaMora, New Hillsboro Airport Private Jet Campus Propels Economic Hopes, Environmental Concerns, appeared in the 4/20/2025 edition of the Hillsboro NewsTimes.
Below are excerpts from the article:
Plans are moving forward for a $45 million, 13-acre business hangar campus at Hillsboro Airport – one of the largest proposed developments at the site in a decade and part of what the Port of Portland describes as a step toward making Hillsboro economically self-sustaining.
But while the Port touts the project as an economic win, environmental advocates argue it would do more harm than good – benefiting an affluent few at the expense of the community and the environment.
On Wednesday, April 9, the Port of Portland Commission approved a 35-year ground lease agreement, with an optional 10-year extension, with HIO Development LLC to transform vacant land at Hillsboro Airport into a private campus for corporate and general aviation jet travel.
The article included the following from testimony submitted by this writer in opposition to the action:
During public testimony, environmental advocate Miki Barnes, founder of Oregon Aviation Watch, urged commissioners to reject the lease, warning the project would fuel pollution and carbon emissions to serve a select few.
"This proposal will primarily serve the millionaire and billionaire class of high flyers whose lavish travel habits and lifestyles will further degrade the public health, environment and biological diversity in Washington County," Barnes said.
She argued the expansion would compound "noise, lead emissions and toxic pollution" already affecting neighborhoods near the airport due to flight schools, private aircraft and other general aviation traffic.
"At a crucial juncture in the history of this planet – when many Oregonians are making a concerted effort to reduce their carbon footprint by driving less, using public transit, bicycling, walking and supporting high-speed rail options – the Port of Portland, rather than advocating for a significant reduction in air traffic, is promoting aviation growth and expansion on behalf of a wealthy few," Barnes said.
KATU2 News
In addition, a 4/13/2025 story on this development by Victor Parks aired on KATU2 News, Major Expansion at Hillsboro Airport Draws Mixed Response.
Excerpts from the KATU report appear below:
The new hangars will be occupied by Sky Harbour, an aviation infrastructure development company.
According to its website, Sky Harbour is "building the first nationwide network of Home-Basing Solutions ('HBS') for business aircraft." The company "develops, leases and manages general aviation hangars across the United States, targeting airfields in the largest growth markets with significant aircraft populations and high hangar demand."
HIO is already home to hangars belonging to major companies like Nike and hosts the Hillsboro Aero Academy, one of the largest airplane and helicopter schools in the country.
Alaska Airlines also has an academy at the airport.
It is important to bear in mind that General Aviation (GA) airports in Oregon and across the country are chronically reliant on government hand-outs for capital improvements, runway maintenance, and routine operating costs. The Hillsboro Airport is dependent on federal, Port and state grants. What this means is that wealthy private jet owners, charter jet companies, flight schools, recreational and private pilots are heavily subsidized by U.S. residents who don't even use these facilities.
At a 10/9/2024 Port Commission meeting, Steve Nagy, Director of Airport Operations for the Port and member of the Oregon Department of Aviation board, provided an overview of the Hillsboro Airport during which he acknowledged that most GA airports in Oregon and across the country, operate in the red. "On average, the Port's GA airports roughly break even on operating revenue before depreciation...Port airports do not generate enough income to cover capital investments. Generally, capital investments are funded by a mix of FAA grants with matching Port funds from PDX activities."
As a result of annual revenue shortfalls, HIO often relies on funding from the Port Cost Center generated from PDX parking and rental car fees to cover expenses. Nagy estimated that over the past 25 years, the FAA and Port have invested around $180 million for infrastructure at HIO, "about $40 million of that has come just in the past 9 years." During his presentation, Nagy pointed out that there are currently 50 jets located at HIO.
A link to the 10/09/2024 Port Commission meeting is available here. Nagy's report starts at the 34 minute mark of the recording. His comments on HIO financing begin at the 49 minute mark. Additional discussion on HIO financing occurs during the Q&A session with the commissioners starting at around the 55 minute mark.
The following is an excerpt from an article on average residential lot sizes, How Many Homes Can Fit on an Acre of Land?
Lot size plays a major role in how many houses can be built on an acre of land. Here are some common scenarios:
- Suburban single-family homes: The average lot size in the U.S. is around 0.2 to 0.5 acres, meaning two to five homes could fit on an acre.
- Compact residential lots: In denser suburban developments, lots may be 0.1 acre or less, allowing six to ten homes per acre.
- Townhouses and multi-family units: Townhouses and duplexes can increase density, with 10â20 units per acre in some developments.
- Apartment buildings: In high-density urban areas, an acre of land could support multi-story apartment complexes with 50+ units, depending on building height restrictions.
This information indicates that if approved for residential development, the following could be built on 13 acres:
- 26 to 65 single family suburban homes
- 78 to 130 compact residential lots
- 130 to 260 townhouses or multi-family units
- 650 50-unit apartment buildings
Parks, schools, community gardens, bird sanctuaries and a host of other options could also be constructed on this acreage. But instead of repurposing this land to better serve the needs of the local community, the Port commissioners approved luxury hangars for wealthy private jet owners. Sadly, this decision is very much in keeping with the Port's unsavory history of degrading the livability, environment and quality of life of local residents while catering to out of state profiteers intent on promoting their interest over and above the greater good.
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