On Friday, we joined partners Adre, Portland Community Reinvestment Initiatives (PCRI), and Prosper Portland to celebrate the groundbreaking of the Williams & Russell project, which is bringing new life to a long-vacant parcel that was once the Hill Block, the commercial center of Portland's Black community in the Albina neighborhood.
Williams & Russell will bring 86 affordable rentals and 20 affordable townhomes for purchase to this site. All homes will be subject to PHB's N/NE Preference Policy, which aims to address the harmful effects of urban renewal by prioritizing those with generational ties to the area.
The rental portion will include a culturally-specific daycare, a large outdoor plaza, and community rooms. Five of the townhomes will include ADUs, and five will be fully ADA-accessible. The site will also be home to a 30,000 square foot Black Business Hub built sustainably with Mass Timber (CLT) construction. In total, 95 homes will include 2-3 bedrooms for families.
PHB is grateful to be able to support this project with Interstate Corridor Urban Renewal Area (ICURA) Tax Increment Financing (TIF) funding as part of our N/NE Neighborhood Housing Strategy, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month.
Congratulations to the Williams & Russell team, including Colas Construction, LEVER Architecture, Portland Housing Center, and Housing Development Center, and thank you to our elected representatives for joining us: Governor Tina Kotek, State Senator Lew Frederick, State Representative Travis Nelson, and former US Representative Earl Blumenauer.
Learn more about the N/NE Neighborhood Housing Strategy and Preference Policy.
