Portland Loo
When Portland commissioned the design of the loos, it retained the intellectual property rights to the design, and would receive a royalty from the manufacturer, for each loo it sold. Press reports described this arrangement as a source of funds, for the city.
However, in 2014, a citizen group sued the city, asserting the city had spent over $600,000 to promote the loos, without proper authorization. As a consequence the design was sold to Madden, the manufacturer.
Portland Loo
In 2012 individual units cost $60,000 (USD) each. In 2017 Albuquerque bought a unit at auction for $20,000, which had cost San Diego $100,000. However KRQE reported many cities had found it cost another $100,000 to bring water to their loos. "The Missoulian" reported that it cost $500,000 to install San Diego's two loos.