Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity awarded $5.065 million for affordable homes
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity was awarded $5.065 million in state LIFT Homeownership funding today to support the construction of 33 permanently affordable homes in Bend, Ore.
The homes will be built on surplus land provided through a partnership with Bend-La Pine Schools.
The funding was approved by the Oregon Housing Stability Council for two separate developments: Stone Creek Commons and Skyline Crossing.
Twenty-five of the planned units will receive direct support from LIFT funding to serve households earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income.
Stone Creek Commons, located next to Silver Rail Elementary School in southeast Bend, recently celebrated a groundbreaking. The development will feature 18 duplex-style townhomes, with 10 homes serving households earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income and eight homes designated for households earning up to 120% of the Area Median Income.
Skyline Crossing will add 15 detached cottage homes on surplus school district land near Summit High School. All 15 homes will serve households earning 80% or less of the Area Median Income. Bend-La Pine Schools employees will receive preference during the initial homebuyer application period for both developments.
The partnership developed from ongoing workforce recruitment challenges facing the school district. Steven Cook, superintendent of Bend-La Pine Schools, explained that housing costs created obstacles for incoming staff. “This is a conversation that started maybe five years ago,” Cook said. “We were struggling. We had some staff that we'd offered jobs to who couldn't make it work financially. They just could not find housing in the area. And we said, 'We've got to figure out a way to be part of the solution.'”
Bend CEO Carly Colgan-Redmond Habitat for Humanity, noted that combining public funds with community support addresses the regional housing gap. “This is exactly the kind of investment that makes affordable homeownership possible in a market like Bend,” Colgan said. “Bend-La Pine Schools brought land to the table, the state is providing critical LIFT funding and our community helps us close the remaining gap. Together, we're creating homeownership opportunities that working households can actually afford.”
Market data underlines the financial pressure on local workers. According to the City of Bend's 2025 State of Housing Report, a household needed an annual income of more than $204,000 to afford the average home sold in Bend. A typical Habitat buyer earning below 80% of the Area Median Income earns roughly $25 to $30 an hour. Under Habitat's purchasing model, buyers purchase homes with affordable mortgages based on income and no down payment, resulting in monthly mortgage payments between $1,500 and $2,000.
Both developments will utilize a community land trust model to preserve long-term affordability for future buyers. The structures are planned to meet Earth Advantage Platinum standards, incorporating solar panels and energy-efficiency features to maintain low monthly utility costs. The LIFT Homeownership program is administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services using state bond funding.
