State distributes $75 million for affordable housing, includes 5 C.O. projects

SALEM, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Oregon Housing and Community Services on Wednesday announced $75 million in recent Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Housing Program funding awards, including five Central Oregon projects.

The LIFT program was created by Senate Bill 1582 during the 2016 legislative session with the goal of creating affordable homes for vulnerable families focused on rural communities and communities of color residing across Oregon.

The LIFT program can fund homes for rent or purchase. This year’s award of $75,028,069 will build 1,262 new affordable homes across the state especially for historically underserved communities.

“Everyone in Oregon deserves a warm, safe, dry, accessible, and affordable place to call home,” said Governor Kate Brown. “The LIFT program is a critical tool to ensure more children and families throughout the state have safe and stable housing.”

OHCS worked with community members to review and rank applications. Members included representatives from Communities of Color, diverse geographical representatives and industry experts.

Applicants were asked to address equity and diversity targets in their proposals around contracting, sub-contracting and professional services with Minority-owned, Women-owned, and emerging small business (MWESB).

The Oregon Housing Stability Council reviewed the recommendations and awarded funding on Friday.

“As a result of historical and current discriminatory housing practices and policies affordable housing remains an urgent need for Black, Indigenous, People of Color communities,” said OHCS Executive Director Margaret Salazar. 

“The LIFT program explicitly addresses these disproportionate housing affordability challenges in communities large and small. We are grateful to Governor Brown and the legislature for their foresight in investing in this innovative housing program.”

The full details of the 2020 awards are available online. A map of the awards can be found here. The developments that received this year’s awards are listed below:

2020 LIFT Homeownership Awards:

· 27th Bend in Bend, $900,000

· Alder Commons in Hillsboro, $800,000

· DevNW CLT in Eugene and Corvallis, $3,115,000

· Foster Road Condos in Portland, $3,900,000

· Kidd Court in Forest Grove, $300,000

· Lincoln City Affordable Homes in Lincoln City, $140,000

· Orchard District Cottages in Bend, $340,000

· Quince Townhomes in Redmond, $705,000

· Yeoman Townhomes in Bend, $600,000

2020 LIFT Rental Awards:

· Barnes Butte Vista in Prineville, $4,750,000

· East Q Apartments in La Grande, $7,400,000

· Hermanson Preserve in Woodburn, $7,350,000

· Las Adelitas in Portland, $5,440,570

· Lincoln St. Apartments in Eugene, $3,412,500

· Minnesota Places in Portland, $3,537,499

· Ontario Townhomes in Ontario, $5,325,000

· St. Helens Apartments in St. Helens, $13,400,000

· Stark Street in Portland, $3,812,500

· TBD Sunshine Apartments in Roseburg, $9,800,000

“Hacienda and our neighbors in the Cully community are thrilled to be selected to receive this funding that will help us turn the site of a former strip club into affordable homes for 142 households,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda Community Development Corporation. 

“Our understanding of the safety and stability that a home offers has only grown during this pandemic.  This funding provides both homes and hope for the Cully neighborhood, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in the state, and a community long-passed over by public investments.”