A Welcome Message from Commissioner Ryan
Dear Fellow Portlanders,
Lately, I find myself reflecting on hope. I believe that for hope to exist, we must be able to see a pathway to change—we must be willing to innovate and be determined to create betterresults that serve our most vulnerable. We know that the lack of affordable housing is one of the greatest crises we face as a city. We see the crisis of chronic homelessness on our streets and increasingly—especially with record inflation hitting every household—more and more Portlanders are stretched to the limit to remain housed.
Thanks to the voters and those paying property taxes in Portland, the successful 2016 Housing Bond is producing results beyond the original promise. In fact, the housing progress we’ve made in the first months of 2022 should give us all reason to hope!
In February, three new projects were awarded funding from Portland’s Housing Bond, bringing the total number of permanently affordable homes created through the city’s first housing bond to 1,859 units across 15 developments. Thanks to efficient management from the Portland Housing Bureau and their partners, this represents 559 (or 43%) more units than voters were promised in 2016. These will provide homes to roughly 3,800 Portlanders. The Bond is also set to exceed all its goals across the board, including the numbers of deeply affordable units, Permanent Supportive Housing units, and family-sized units. This was a strong start to what promises to be a landmark year for the Portland Bond.
Going forward, the Crescent Court Apartments began welcoming residents this month, becoming the first of 10 new Bond projects under construction to open its doors. Five more developments are set to open this year, and another three are on track to open in 2023.
The homes we are producing with the Bond over the next two years will continue to house thousands more Portlanders at rates they can afford for decades to come. This progress just goes to show when we come together as a community to forge a pathway for change, there is always cause for hope.
Sincerely,
Commissioner Dan Ryan
Crescent Court Grand Opening
On May 10th, theCrescent Court Apartments became the first of 10 new Bond projects in construction to open its doors. The family-focused development brings 138 new, affordable homes to the Powellhurst-Gilbert neighborhood, including seven units of Permanent Supportive Housing for households who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, along with services and supports from Central City Concern and IRCO. The new building also offers internet stations, a teen room, a playground, and a picnic area. Unique to this project is a 1,700 square foot Boys & Girls Club clubhouse, offering free after-school programming on-site. It is the first Boys & Girls Club to be located within an affordable housing community in the Portland metro area.
"When mom, dad, or grandma gets home from work, they know that their kids were safe and that they were in a positive space with great mentors who believe in their great futures," said Terry Johnson, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Portland. "And then to be able to go home, get a good night's rest, and go back to school and do it all over again the next day."
Tuku Walio, an Ethiopian immigrant with two young children, is one of the first new residents to call Crescent Court home. “I'm really excited to have this community around my kids,” she said.
Crescent Court is one of two Portland Bond projects developed by the team of Related NW, Central City Concern, Ankrom Moisan Architects, and Walsh Construction. Their next project, Cathedral Village, will welcome residents in St. Johns this summer.
Find out how to apply to Crescent Court and other Bond buildings now accepting applications below.
Apply for Housing!
These Bond projects are currently accepting applications. Follow the links below to find more information on how to apply.
Hayu TIlixam
Crescent Court Apartments
East Burnside Apartments
The Ellington Apartments
The Joyce Breaks Ground
For over a century, the Joyce Hotelprovided affordable, low-barrier housing in the Central City for people who otherwise would land on the street. Earlier this year, Community Partners for Affordable Housing began first on the redevelopment of the 100-year-old building, which will provide 66 updated single-room occupancy (SRO) units of Permanent Supportive Housing in the Downtown core. Set to open next Spring, the Joyce will include a rooftop patio, community space, and most importantly, supportive services and critical mental health supports for residents and the surrounding community, in partnership with Cascadia Behavioral Health, Cascade AIDS Project, and Native American Rehabilitation Association NW.
At the groundbreaking ceremony in March, Commissioner Dan Ryan spoke to the importance of the redevelopment: "The Joyce will continue to fill a critical role in our streets-to-housing continuum and will have a second life as a safe haven for our most vulnerable neighbors in the Downtown core — this time with a community room, on-site supportive services, wellness activities, care coordination, and crisis intervention. Thanks to Portland's Housing Bond, it will provide permanent homes and critical mental health supports so that 66 houseless individuals can live with the dignity we all deserve and have the opportunity to live stable, healthy, fruitful lives."
Why Permanent Supportive Housing?
Crescent Court and the Joyce are two examples of how Portland's Housing Bond is working to meet the diverse needs of Portlanders—from families with children facing displacement in Outer Southeast Portland to individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in the Downtown core. While they were designed to serve very different populations, these two projects share one important element in common: they play a critical role in our local effort to address chronic homelessness through Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH).
Portland's Housing Bond places a high priority on PSH, and is supporting the creation of 399 new PSH units—a critical step towards a City-County joint effort to create 2,000 units by 2028. Including those 399 units, there are 1,915 PSH units open or in development in the City of Portland.
But what is PSH, and why do we need to include it in our Bond-supported projects?
Families and individuals with disabilities and those who have experienced chronic homelessness are among those hit hardest by our region's affordable housing crisis. Permanent Supportive Housing serves these community members by pairing affordable housing with comprehensive, wrap-around services to help them maintain stable housing and connect them to the support they need to live independently. These services can include case management, behavioral health services, substance use disorder treatment, economic support, and tenancy skills.
Portland's Housing Bondsupports two types of PSH models:
Dedicated PSH Housing Projects, like the Joyce, where most or all of the units are designated as PSH. These projects focus primarily on serving single adults or couples who have complex physical and/or behavioral health issues, and other service needs.
Integrated PSH Projects like Crescent Court, integrate PSH (usually less than 25% of the total units) within a building that offers a mix of housing options. PSH that is integrated into an affordable housing project tends to focus on serving households where someone has a disabling condition.
In addition to the Joyce and Crescent Court, several other Bond-funded projects will open in the next few years, creating new housing for vulnerable communities with culturally-specific PSH designed to reach and serve members from Black, Indigenous, and People of Color communities.
Progress
Portland's Housing Bond is supporting 15 projects, with three open, nine currently in construction, and three in pre-development, for a total of 1,859 units. Click here to learn more about the Bond's progress.
What's Next
Bond Oversight Committee Meeting
Thursday, August 4, 2022 | 9:30 to 11:00 a.m.
Due to the public health emergency, this meeting will be held remotely. Registration link to follow.
An agenda and meeting materials will be posted online here.