Eighty-Five New Supportive Housing Units Help Address Oregon’s Housing Shortage
Central City Concern (CCC) celebrates the Grand Opening of Meridian Gardens. Speakers honoring the new building include Dr. Andy Mendenhall, President and CEO; Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson; City Commissioner Carmen Rubio; Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang, among others. Entertainment will be provided by Conjunto Alegre, a premier live Latin band playing a mix of tropical music from all over the Caribbean.
Meridian offers a total of sixty-five units of permanent supportive housing for individuals in recovery from substance use disorders, along with twenty deeply affordable units. All residents will benefit from recovery-focused programming. The housing is accessible to those earning between 0-50% of area median income. Referrals to Meridian will come primarily from CCC programs including Puentes, River Haven and our future 16 x Burnside Recovery Center, as well as several outside partners.
“Our region continues to face an affordable housing crisis combined with a lack of psychiatric and substance use treatment services,” says President and CEO Dr. Andy Mendenhall. “Folks are struggling clinically more than ever before. For individuals who are committed to their recovery and benefit from living in a community of neighbors free from alcohol and drug use, this programming is an oasis of long-term recovery and support. Alcohol and drug free communities like Meridian Gardens are more important than ever to help close the affordable housing gap while providing the healthiest and safest possible community for low-income individuals in recovery.”
The four-story building, located on a popular high-frequency transit line, features shared communal spaces such as kitchens, lounges, meeting rooms and an outdoor courtyard. The architectural team from Ankrom Moisan emphasized trauma-informed design to evoke feelings of security and support residents’ recovery journeys.
As part of CCC’s Climate Action Commitment, Meridian Gardens is designed to be a model sustainable community and has achieved Earth Advantage Platinum rating. The building features the largest solar array among all of CCC’s housing properties, with a 52-kW capacity generating clean, renewable energy. The community is 100% electric with no natural gas on-site, significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and supporting CCC’s mission to address the ecological hazards of climate change. EV charging is available on-site thanks to the PGE Drive Change Fund. The Energy Trust of Oregon provided grant funding and energy efficiency incentives.
The development team includes Central City Concern, Walsh Construction, Ankrom Moisan Architects and GLI Advisors. The $29 million project is being funded by long-term operating subsidies through Multnomah County’s Joint Office of Homeless Services in partnership with Multnomah County’s Department of Behavioral Health Services to support ongoing services including case management, employment support, addiction treatment and recovery-focused programming; the Portland Housing Bureau thanks to Metro area voters who passed Measure 26-199, and Measure 26-210, the Metro Supportive Housing Services program; Oregon Housing and Community Services, with their award of 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits and Housing Trust Fund dollars. US Bank and Umpqua Bank.