Gresham, Oregon Development News

Gresham City Council Reviews Massage Business License Code Amendments Following Successful Enforcement Against Illicit Operations

The Gresham City Council discussed and reviewed proposed amendments to the city's massage business license code, which was adopted in the fall of 2024 and implemented in October 2024. The code aims to strengthen business license requirements, empower code compliance to conduct inspections, and enable the denial or revocation of licenses for illicit massage businesses (IMBs). Staff reported that since adoption, 31 licenses have been issued to 24 existing and 7 new massage businesses, with an additional 10 pending. Enforcement efforts have led to the closure of six out of seven identified IMBs, with the last one being addressed. Three of the closed IMBs attempted to obtain a city license but failed inspection due to violations. Proposed amendments aim to clarify violations for illicit advertising, make individuals associated with denied/revoked licenses ineligible for future city business licenses, and disallow confirmed IMB locations from obtaining a massage business license for three to five years. Council members expressed strong support for the initiative and the proposed amendments.