M Carter Commons

M Carter Commons is a new affordable apartment development in Overlook, from co-owners and developers Urban League of Portland and Northwest Housing Alternatives. The project has 62 affordable and accessible apartment homes for low-income individuals including residents 55 years and older, as well as one unrestricted on-site manager's unit. A community room, property management and resident services offices, laundry, and a protected courtyard are accessible to the residents. The developer team is utilizing the N/NE Preference Policy list, prioritizing applicants who have been impacted by urban renewal in North and Northeast Portland. Urban League of Portland leads outreach, as well as supportive services in collaboration with NHA’s resident services.

Located on land donated by Kaiser Permanente, M Carter Commons is named after Margaret Louise Carter, Oregon’s first Black woman legislator. The project is directly adjacent to a light rail stop with frequent access to local services, activities, and regional mass transit connections. The site is also across the street from a Kaiser Permanente medical campus and within one block of the historically Black Albina District neighborhoods.

Funding sources for M Carter Commons included Metro Bond funds, Interstate Corridor Tax Increment Financing, and project-based vouchers from Home Forward. Northwest Housing Alternatives also used Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) dollars to install high-efficiency electric heating and air conditioning systems, a highly efficient ventilation system, above code insulation and energy-star appliances that provide comfort and indoor air quality, and help mitigate utility costs incurred by tenants.

Recognizing the need for greater affordability in Portland's regulated housing stock, the Portland Housing Bureau invested additional funding to lower rents in 41 units from 60% AMI to 45% AMI, putting these homes in reach of those in need.

More information:

Leasing Website

Building Profile