April 30, 2019 – The Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) has announced a $77 million funding opportunity for new construction projects, property acquisitions, and the rehabilitation of existing buildings for affordable housing — including $70 million from Portland’s Housing Bond. The Bond Opportunity Solicitation (BOS) marks the first time private and non-profit developers will be able to submit proposals for Bond funding following a constitutional amendment passed last November giving municipalities greater flexibility in the use of general obligation bond funds, including the ability to lend bond funds to private entities, and the ability to leverage outside funding sources in Bond projects.

“We’re acting swiftly on this new opportunity from voters to leverage our public-private partnerships and outside sources of funding to make our bond dollars go further,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler. “With the help of our community partners, we expect to meet and exceed the goals of Portland’s Housing Bond.”

In addition to capital funding for construction, the solicitation includes two development sites owned by PHB, and one PHB building for rehabilitation. In total, the solicitation is expected to produce up to 600 affordable housing units. 

At least one-third of units produced through the BOS will serve very-low income households, below 30% of Area Median Income (less than $22,000 a year for a family of three). In addition, projects will be expected to provide a minimum number of Supportive Housing units — including two buildings entirely dedicated to Supportive Housing. The Supportive Housing units will be supported by a rent subsidy through Home Forward, who is offering 188 Project-Based Section 8 vouchers to ensure long-term rental assistance and support.

Additionally, up to $10,000 per unit will be available annually in funding for Supportive Housing services through the Joint Office of Homeless Services.

“Portland’s Housing Bond creates housing for Portlanders who aren’t served in the current market — from chronically homeless individuals who need housing with wrap-around services to families with children who need safe, stable and affordable homes,” said Portland Housing Bureau Director Shannon Callahan. “With this opportunity, we can work together with our community partners to create safe, high-quality homes for Portlanders struggling to afford a place to live.”

Six projects have been identified under Portland’s Housing Bond to date, totaling more than 660 units either open or in progress throughout the city.

Proposals are due by June 28 with awards expected in September 2019. A mandatory developer information session for interested proposers will be held on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 from 3:00 – 5:00 pm at New Song Community Church. For more information or to download the solicitation, visit www.portlandoregon.gov/phb/BOS2019

We are pleased to present the 2017-18 Annual Report on the progress that has been made under Portland's Housing Bond. In November 2016, Portland voters resoundingly approved a bond measure dedicating $258.4 million over seven years to creating 1,300 homes for our neighbors struggling to afford a place to live.

The Portland Housing Bureau has taken two key approaches to delivering on this promise: we are building new housing in neighborhoods with good access to public transit and other amenities; and we are purchasing existing buildings to convert into permanently affordable homes, renovating them as needed to ensure they provide safe housing that is built to last.

This 2017-18 report shows progress toward our goals and it also shows that we are building momentum, nearly doubling our portfolio in just the last half of 2018. Above all, we've worked closely with our Bond Oversight Committee to ensure these investments reflect the values and priorities of the community they were meant to serve. We look forward to continuing to build on this progress in 2019.

Click here to download the full report.

The Portland Housing Bureau is releasing a draft of technical changes to the Inclusionary Housing (IH) administrative rules. These changes provide additional clarity to the public and city staff regarding the IH Program including the expansion the definition section, updating the compliance sections, and reconciling terms used in the zoning code. The public is invited to testify on the technical changes of the proposed draft. 

Testimony may be submitted via email, fax, letter, or in person at the public hearing (details below). Written comments or testimony must be received by Friday, May 10, 2019 and must include a first and last name to be considered. 

Email your testimony to: Inclusionary-Housing@portlandoregon.gov

Fax your testimony to: 503-823-2387

Mail your testimony to: Portland Housing Bureau, c/o Inclusionary Housing, 421 SW 6th Ave, Suite 500, Portland, Oregon 97204

Testify in person at the public hearing: Tuesday, April 30, 2019 from 2-4 pm, Portland Housing Bureau, 421 SW 6th Ave, Suite 500, Portland, Oregon 97204.

If you have questions regarding the proposed rule changes or the rulemaking process, please contact the IH Rules Coordinator: Jessica Conner, jessica.conner@portlandoregon.gov. 

Family-Sized Condos at 5020 N Interstate Ave. $121,000 - $274,500

  Application for Preference Opens April 22 at 9:00 AM

5020 Condos is an affordable homebuying opportunity coming soon to N. Interstate Ave. Forty of these two- and 3-bedroom condominiums will only be available for purchase by current and former longtime residents of North/Northeast Portland who apply for preference through the Portland Housing Bureau. 

Potential homebuyers who are interested in this opportunity must apply for the N/NE Preference Waitlist between Monday, April 22, 2019 and Friday, May 3, 2019 at 11:59 PM. The application will be available online beginning Monday, April 22, 2019 at 9:00am. Visit www.portlandoregon.gov/phb/preference for more information and to access the application. 

Sign up here to receive email notifications about future preference application rounds for rental housing and homeownership opportunities in N/NE Portland.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Martha Calhoon, Portland Housing Bureau
503-823-1132, Martha.Calhoon@portlandoregon.gov

PORTLAND, OR (February 20, 2019) — The Portland Housing Bureau (PHB) has announced plans to bring more affordable family housing and Supportive Housing to East Portland. PHB made $7 million in federal funds available last Summer for proposals to develop at least 60 new units of affordable housing with a focus on family-size units that provide two bedrooms or more. 

Two East Portland projects have been selected for funding, the Bureau announced today, totaling 126 new affordable units — more than double the number anticipated in the solicitation. Of the new units, 81 will have two or more bedrooms to accommodate families with children, and the projects will provide 18 new units of Supportive Housing. 

“These projects respond to the urgent need of families in our community for safe, stable housing they can afford,” said Portland Housing Bureau Director Shannon Callahan. “I’m very happy to be adding these community assets to East Portland – ensuring high-quality, stable homes for the kids who live and go to school there.”  

Northwest Housing Alternatives has been selected to develop Powellhurst Place, a new project on SE 122nd Avenue and Harold Street that will consist of 65 one- and two-bedroom apartments, including five units of Supportive Housing. 

Innovative Housing Inc. has been awarded funding to add 61 new apartments — from studios to three-bedrooms — to the Garden Park complex on SE 136th Avenue and Powell Blvd. Most of Garden Park’s 63 existing units will also be rehabilitated or completely replaced in the process. Thirteen of the completed units will be designated as Supportive Housing.

“We are thrilled to have the City’s support for our redevelopment of the Garden Park Apartments,” said Innovative Housing’s Executive Director, Sarah Stevenson. “This project will upgrade and nearly double the number of affordable homes that Garden Park can provide for families and individuals struggling to make ends meet.”

Garden Park joins four other affordable housing developments completed or in progress under the City's Powell-Division Transit Project, which commits to developing 300-600 units of affordable housing in tandem with new transit infrastucture along the Powell-Division Corridor. Altogether, there are 387 affordable housing units currently in progress in the Powell-Division Corridor, more than 100 of which are located in East Portland. 

The new Supportive Housing achieved through the two projects will also further a shared City and Multnomah County goal of adding 2,000 units of Supportive Housing across the community over the next 10 years. Since the goal was adopted in 2017, more than 500 Supportive Housing units have already opened or are in development. 

“Supportive Housing is a compassionate, effective, and proven approach to addressing homelessness because it enables people to get the deeply affordable housing they need, with support services attached,” said Mayor Ted Wheeler. “I applaud our partners to rising to the challenge of adding to this vital infrastructure by integrating this housing option into the vision for how these projects can best serve our neighbors and our community.”