Portland, Metro partners on four more affordable housing projects
PORTLAND, Ore. (PORTLAND TRIBUNE) -- The Portland Housing Bureau expects to open four new affordable housing projects funded in part by Metro’s regional housing bond between 2025 and 2029. They are planned to create an estimated 267 new units of affordable housing in North and Southwest Portland, including 214 rental units and 53 new affordable homeownership units.
“Stable, equitable housing opportunities are key to our shared economic recovery. This is a critical time for so many Portlanders struggling with housing instability and economic uncertainty. This slate of projects responds to the urgency of this moment with ingenuity and innovation,” said Portland Housing Commissioner Carmen Rubio.
Metro voters approved a $625.8 regional housing bond at the May 2018 election to help fund affordable housing project in Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties. Portland was granted $211 million from the bond later that year with a goal of creating 1,475 units of affordable housing — including 605 deeply affordable units for households hearing 30% or less of the area median income — and 737 family-sized units. In addition, the city established a goal of creating 300 Permanent Supportive Housing units with services to help the chronically homeless remain housed.
With the four projects announced on Jan. 19, PHB now expects to surpass the goals set for total affordable units, family-sized units, and PSH units, and achieve 95% of the target set for deeply affordable units at 30% AMI or below. The remaining $48 million of Portland’s Metro bond allocation is earmarked for future developments.
The four new projects are expected to be built on sites owned by Metro, PHB, and a parcel donated by Kaiser Permanente, located in PHB’s N/NE Neighborhood Housing Strategy area next to the Kaiser Permanente campus on North Interstate Avenue. They additionally align with PHB’s commitment to advancing racial equity. The projects will also utilize significant contributions from other public programs, including $13.7 million in Interstate Corridor urban renewal funds, 50 project-based rental assistance vouchers from Home Forward, as well as services and rental assistance funds for 15 PSH units from Metro’s measure through the Joint Office of Homeless Services.
“Each of these projects represents the work and dedication of many organizations and community partners coming together to meet the diverse housing needs of Portlanders, and especially our Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities, families with children, and our neighbors experiencing chronic homelessness,” said Interim Portland Housing Bureau director Molly Rogers.
“These projects, funded through the voter-approved Metro housing bond, are a testament to the power of partnership addressing our most urgent crisis. I’m excited that we are on pace to exceed our promises to the voters and look forward to even more progress in the months to come,” Metro Council President Lynn Peterson said of the Jan. 19 announcement.
The Jan. 19 announcement followed the opening of five affordable housing projects partly funded by the Metro bond in 2022. They included projects in Forest Grove, Gresham, Rockwood, South Portland and unincorporated Clackamas County. Together, they offer 585 units, 20 of which provide supportive services.
Eleven Metro-backed projects are scheduled to be completed next year in Aloha, Beaverton, Cedar Mill, Cornelius, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, North Portland, Oregon City and Tigard. They are expected to offer 973 units of affordable housing, including 187 in Portland. Eighty-four will provide supportive services, including 72 in Portland.
Twelve additional projects are expected to be completed in 2024 in Beaverton, Lake Oswego, North Portland, Northeast Portland, Southeast Portland and the Tualatin/Wilsonville expansion area. They will offer 1,130 units, 300 new and 96 preserved in Portland, with 147 of those providing supportive services.
PHB will submit the four proposals for concept endorsement by Metro, whose approval is expected to take 30 to 45 days.
The four projects are:
Name: Carter Commons
- Address: 3715 N. Interstate Avenue (Kaiser Permanente site)
- Units: 62
- Cost: $27.3 million ($PHB 9.3 million)
- Developer: Northwest Housing Alternatives and the Urban League or Portland
- Opening: Summer 2025
Name: Strong Family site
- Address: 4931 N. Williams Avenue and 20-114 N. Alberta Street
- Units: 75
- Cost: $38.2 million (PHB $11.25 million)
- Developers: Community Development Partners and Self Enhancement Inc.
- Opening: Winter 2025-26
Name: Carey Boulevard site
- Address: 6623/6631/6702 N. Syracuse Street, 7235 N. Minerva Avenue, and 6634 N. Oberlin Street
- Units: 53
- Cost: $23 million (PHB 7.95 million)
- Developers: Habitat for Humanity in partnership with Proud Ground
- Opening: Spring 2029
Name: Portland Value Inn site
- Address: 10450 S.W. Barbur Boulevard
- Units: 77 (PSH 15)
- Cost: $42.5 million ($11.5 million)
- Developers: Community Partners for Affordable Housing in partnership with HAKI Community Organization and the Urban League Opening: Winter 2025
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