Street Roots Executive Director Kaia Sand Is on Leave

Sand took the helm of Street Roots in 2017 and helped guide its growth as both a media outlet and advocacy arm for the unhoused population.

Kaia Sand's column in Street Roots. (YouTube)
By Sophie Peel

Kaia Sand, the longtime executive director of the nonprofit advocacy group and street newspaper Street Roots, quietly went on leave from the organization in October.

Sand’s leave from the organization, which is best known for contracting with houseless people to sell weekly editions of the newspaper on local sidewalks, was confirmed this evening by Nick Bjork, the board chair of Street Roots.

“Kaia Sand is currently on leave,” Bjork wrote in a text message. “I am not able to share any additional information at this time.”

It’s unclear why Sand is on leave or whether she will return to the organization she helped grow. Sand declined to comment when reached by phone Tuesday afternoon.

Sand took the helm of Street Roots in 2017 and helped guide its growth as both a media outlet and advocacy arm for the unhoused population. The newspaper maintains editorial independence, says editor in chief K. Rambo, who has the final word on all editorial decisions.

Street Roots underwent a couple of big changes this year. The nonprofit moved its outreach operations and newsroom into a larger and more modern office space in Old Town, thanks in part to a $1.1 million grant from the Portland Clean Energy Fund, a tax on large retailers. And the nonprofit news organization ProPublica recently added Street Roots the newspaper to its local reporting network for a one-year partnership that aims to grow the newsroom’s reporting scope and staff. (As part of that partnership, Street Roots hired a managing editor to oversee newspaper operations.)

The annual tax return Street Roots files show that the non-profit’s revenues have grown strongly in recent years, from about $750,000 before the pandemic to more than $3 million in 2023. Even more impressive is the organization’s growth in net assets—from $193,000 in 2019 to $5.59 million in 2023. That increase reflects Street Roots’ successful drive to raise money for its newly renovated 5,800 square-foot headquarters in Old Town.

Sand’s salary is listed in the nonprofit’s 2023 tax return as $81,122.



Willamette Week’s reporting has concrete impacts that change laws, force action from civic leaders, and drive compromised politicians from public office. Support WW's journalism today.