Affordable Housing in Portland
Left to right Lynn Peterson, Council President - Metro, Ian Davie, Chief Operating Officer - Home Forward, Anabel Hernandez, Community Engagement Specialist - Oregon Housing and Community Services, Shrushti Bhatkal, Job Captain - Carleton Hart Architecture, Molly Washington - NAMC Chief Programs Officer, Paul Lumley, Carmen Rubio, City Commissioner - City of Portland, Molly Rogers, Interim Director - Portland Housing Bureau, Andrew Colas, President - Colas Construction, Amy Thompson, Director of Housing Services, Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest. PHOTO BY ZOE HOLMAN-KRAGERO
The Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) is developing 58 units of affordable housing in Portland’s Portsmouth neighborhood. The project will redevelop an existing NAYA property and advance the vision of Native housing leaders that built the original property, Tistilal Village, in the early 1970s.
The project team includes of two local Native American‐led nonprofits, NAYA and Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest (NARA), who have served the Native American community for a combined total of nearly 90 years; and Colas Construction, a second‐generation, family‐owned construction firm and the largest Black‐owned general contractor in the Pacific Northwest. “The City is proud to support this landmark project that includes a Native-led developer and a Black-owned general contractor and that will bring much needed affordable housing to Portland,” said Commissioner Carmen Rubio who oversees the Portland Housing Bureau.
NAYA has been gradually and intentionally building its capacity to develop affordable housing for a decade. NAYA’s previous housing development experience has primarily been as a co-developer. NAYA has refined its approach to designing and building for the Native community by co-developing three housing developments and adding 165 new units to Portland’s Cully neighborhood in the last three years. “Before breaking ground, our top priority was the successful relocation of the 34 former households of Tistilal Village,” said Paul Lumley, NAYA’s Chief Executive Officer. “Each household received individualized attention to ensure their needs were addressed during the transition. We designed a financial wellness program specifically for Tistilal Village residents to strengthen their financial position and raised additional resources to provide residents with more financial benefits than we were required for relocation,” said Lumley.
As a result of the additional relocation support, two Tistilal Village households became first-time homeowners. Former residents will have priority in moving back to the newly constructed property once it’s completed in Summer 2024.“Our enthusiasm to partner with NAYA on such an important project for the Native and BIPOC communities is layered with pride and purpose to serve. It’s clear how NAYA has prioritized resident accessibility, amenities, and comfort. The mission alignment between NAYA and\ COLAS creates a powerful partnership; we are both excited to deliver another quality project to our community," said Andrew Colas, President & CEO of Colas Construction.
Tistilal Village’s Redevelopment adds 58, deeply affordable units (studios, 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom units) to Portland, including 16 permanent supportive housing units for formerly homeless households with services provided by NARA. The project includes two elevators, high efficiency air-conditioned units and common areas, and design that prioritizes safety and security.