MEET YI
Listening. Showing Up. Working for Tigard.
Tigard is Home
Yi-Kang Hu and his husband, Abram, have lived in Tigard for more than 20 years. They were first drawn here because it was close to work, but they stayed because of the friendly neighbors, walkable trails, parks, and the way people step up to help each other.
For Yi, public service started close to home. After he and Abram adopted a puppy from a local animal shelter 13 years ago, Yi started paying more attention to sidewalks, crossings, trails, and how safe it felt to walk around the neighborhood. That experience helped lead him to serve on Tigard’s Transportation Advisory Committee and Planning Commission.
Greeting Community Members at Downtown Event
A Record of Showing Up
Yi’s more than a decade of service in Tigard includes serving as Mayor, City Council President, Planning Commission President, and member of the Transportation Advisory Committee.
Through these roles, Yi has developed a practical understanding of how local government works and how city decisions affect people’s daily lives. Public safety, transportation, housing, parks, libraries, and local businesses all shape how people experience Tigard.
Planting New Trees in Dirksen Nature Park
Helping Clean Up Graffitis in Downtown Tigard
Leading Through Change
Tigard has gone through a period of significant change in recent months, including transitions in city leadership and difficult community conversations about the city’s future.
When Yi stepped into Tigard’s mayoral role, he focused on bringing steadiness, rebuilding trust, and helping people feel heard. He believes local government works best when leaders show up, communicate openly, and stay connected to the community.
Whether at neighborhood events, city meetings, or community celebrations, Yi believes trust is built one conversation at a time and that moving Tigard forward starts with bringing people together.
A Practical Approach
Yi is an attorney, scientist, small business owner, and longtime community volunteer. His background in law and science shapes his careful, practical, and evidence based approach to problem solving.
Yi believes good leadership starts with listening. It means understanding the facts, weighing tradeoffs, and working with others to find solutions that serve the community.
Yi earned his law degree from Lewis & Clark Law School, his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from OHSU, and his bachelor’s degree from Reed College.
Sharing the Joy of Reading with Elementary Students
Walking a New Segment of the Fanno Creek Trail with Sandy at Cook Family Park
Community, Service, and Belonging
As an immigrant and proud Oregonian, Yi understands the importance of opportunity, belonging, and local government that listens to the people it serves.
Yi has also served with organizations including Immigration Counseling Service and the Tigard Chamber’s Diversity and Community Engagement Committee. His commitment to public service comes from a belief that strong communities are built through trust, participation, and respect for different perspectives.
Moving Tigard Forward
As Mayor, Yi is focused on keeping Tigard moving forward with steady leadership, responsible budgeting, strong core services, safer streets, and support for local businesses.
After a period of transition for the city, Yi believes Tigard benefits from leadership that listens, communicates openly, and brings people together to solve problems in a practical way. He shows up across Tigard because he believes local government works best when leaders stay connected to the people they serve.
