The Southwest Portland Post., July 01, 2014, Page 3, Image 3

July 2014
NEWS
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
Stephens Creek Crossing housing project opens with fanfare
By Erik Vidstrand
The Southwest Portland Post
The grand opening has come and
gone; the politicians pronounced
their accolades; the construction
crews are wrapping up; and most
of the units are now filled. Stephens
Creek Crossing is open for business.
The former site of Hillsdale Ter-
race, Stephens Creek Crossing sits
on the edge of the Multnomah and
Hillsdale neighborhoods offering
opportunities for families seeking a
path to self-sufficient living.
The old facility, built in the ‘60s,
became an unhealthy environment
with mold and water runoff prob-
lems.
Students will still attend Hay-
hurst, which has been preparing
for them for months. When all 90 of
these children have joined Hayhurst
by the beginning of the new school
year, its student body will increase
by 30 percent.
The school boundaries have still
not changed. Hayhurst has wel-
comed the new families with open
arms with a tight knit school com-
munity very much like Stephens
Creek Crossing.
The older children will attend
Robert Gray and Wilson. Over 230
of the residents are children.
With 122 apartments, walking
paths, a place for a community gar-
den, and children’s center, the prop-
erty was financed with a HOPE VI
grant from the federal government
with additional funding from the
city of Portland’s housing bureau.
Home Forward, formerly the
Housing Authority of Portland,
created the new Stephens Creek
property. Home Forward is the
state’s largest provider of affordable
housing.
Steve Rudman, executive director,
said the transformation was the col-
laboration of neighbors, community
partners, and residents. “We would
not be where we are today without
the tremendous investment of time
and energy by these folks.”
Many residents signed a contract
with the GOALS Program which
provides a maximum of five years
of work and independent living
support. They will then move on to
independent, unsubsidized living
arrangements.
Walking through the property, one
finds open spaces, walkways, vivid
colors, several parks, and a space
being developed for a community
garden.
There is an outdoor covered pa-
tio and large kitchen full of stoves,
ovens and sinks for cooking classes
and large gatherings.
“Only a couple families [from the
original Hillsdale Terrace] came
back to the new community,” said
Kaouther Elatchi, from Morocco.
Elatchi who is expecting a third
child in a few months has a two-
bedroom apartment but she is not
subsidized by the government.
“We’re not in the GOAL pro-
gram,” she stated, but does become
involved with community events,
potlucks, and gatherings.
On this sunny day, residents were
gathered claiming tomato, squash,
and lettuce plants and seeds for
other vegetables.
Emily Keeler, staff from Growing
Gardens, has been meeting with
residents and employees getting the
community garden started.
“There will be individual quad-
rants along with communal plots,”
Keeler explained. “We hold work
shops, embrace volunteers, and
are always in need of tools or other
garden equipment.”
Children enjoy playing on the geodome during the grand opening of Stephens Creek
Crossing, June 6. (Post photo by Don Snedecor)
“Many of them have never dug
in the dirt like this,” exclaimed
Zakia, a mother of two, also from
Morocco. “They’re away from their
electronics, mingling with other
children different than themselves,
and learning about healthy food.”
Dressed in traditional burqa, Za-
kia was delighted to see the children
out in force.
On hand this day was New Begin-
nings Landscaping who provided
the soil and pots. Richard Edwards,
who has worked for New Begin-
nings for over a year, and lives
in Stephens Creek, said that the
program is helping him with his
GOALS contract.
“I want to have my own landscap-
ing company within five years,” he
announced.
“We’re about ready to plant a
children’s pumpkin patch on the
other side of the property,” Edwards
beamed. “Each child will have their
own pumpkin and in the fall we’ll
have a jack-o-lantern decorating
contest.”
A talent show full of singing and
dancing is in the planning as well.
Rehabilitation work continues on Barbur Boulevard’s Newbury and Vermont Street
Bridges, near the Hillsdale exit. The project is expected to be complete in October.
Traffic will be reduced to one lane in one direction at a time, 24 hours a day, seven
days a week.
Upcoming Weekend Detour
In July, the second of two weekend closures of the southbound lanes of Barbur
Boulevard is planned. The lanes are expected to be closed from 9 p.m. Friday,
July 11 to 5 a.m. Monday, July 14.
Traffic will be detoured on to Capitol Highway and Bertha Boulevards. The
northbound lane will be open. For other project information and traffic impacts, visit
the project website: www.barburbridges.org