Longtime Strong Family Property will Soon be Home
A one-acre property at the prominent intersection of N Alberta Street and N Williams Avenue, once owned by a longtime North Portland family, will soon provide affordable apartments to 75 households with incomes from 30% to 60% of the area median income.
An official groundbreaking for the four-story Strong Family Apartments at 4985 N. Williams Avenue will take place next week on Oct. 22. Co-owned and co-developed by Community Development Partners (CDP) and Self Enhancement, Inc. (SEI), the development will provide 75 affordable apartments in a welcoming, family-friendly setting, with resident services and youth and adult programming led by SEI. The building is expected to open to residents by March 2026.
The Strong family, with deep roots in North Portland, sold the property to the Portland Housing Bureau, which selected CDP and SEI to develop the site through a competitive process. SEI founder and president Tony Hopson Sr. has a long relationship with the Strongs.
“It was very important to Mr. Hopson, and to SEI and CDP, to ensure that the Strong family felt valued and appreciated throughout the project, and to honor their ultimate desire to see a building that serves the Black community on this land,” said Sahaan McKelvey, SEI’s Director of Advocacy and Engagement.
The Strong Family Apartments will be the fourth housing development to open under the Alberta Alive initiative, a community-driven revitalization effort aimed at creating long-term stability and opportunity for residents. Alberta Alive is co-led by CDP, a mission-driven affordable housing developer, and SEI, Oregon’s largest African American-led nonprofit.
Hopson Sr. said The Strong Family Apartments are designed to create “true community” for all future residents: “SEI wants to create opportunities for families in our community to have an optimal living experience that is also affordable. We know that in reaching for these goals to create the best possible experience for residents, we will make the Strong family proud.”
The building’s mix of 1-, 2-, and 3-bedroom apartments will be reserved for individuals and families who qualify under the City of Portland’s N/NE Preference Policy, which prioritizes people with generational ties to North and Northeast Portland. The development includes an outdoor courtyard, play area, and multiple community gathering spaces.
Eric Paine, CEO of Community Development Partners, said CDP is fortunate to partner with SEI to bring The Strong Family Apartments and Alberta Alive to life: “We share the goal of creating vibrant spaces that will fortify the historically Black neighborhoods of North and Northeast Portland.”
The Strong is the fourth of five Alberta Alive housing developments within one mile of each other that address a variety of housing needs. Three are already open: The Dr. Darrell Millner Building (63 units); The Ronnie Herndon Building (21 units); and The Paul and Geneva Knauls Building, with 31 homes for veterans. The Alberta Alive Townhomes, which will provide eight Black households the opportunity for homeownership, are in the planning stages.
The Strong Family Apartments is a $44 million project made possible through a combination of funding sources, including approximately $11.4 million from the Portland Housing Bureau’s 2023 Metro Bond Offering; a 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) allocation with equity investment from Hudson Housing; State of Oregon weatherization funds; ITC Solar Tax Credit Equity; and grants from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund and Energy Trust of Oregon and City of Portland’s Brownfield Program.
The development team includes Holst Architecture, Colas Construction, DCM Consulting (construction management), VEGA Civil Engineering, KPFF (structural engineer), and Ground Workshop (landscape architecture). SEI will provide resident services and Guardian Management will be the on-site property manager and operator. JPMorgan Chase is providing construction financing and Citibank will provide permanent financing.