Eugene weekly., July 21, 2022, Page 7, Image 7

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was essentially a shell corporation with McDonald as its
head. On April 20, the board of directors of that organiza-
tion changed its name to HOPE Community Corporation.
Marsh says 2,500 housing units in her district were
lost during the 2020 Alameda Fire. Of those units, 1,500
were manufactured homes. She says there’s been a delay
in getting housing units in southern Oregon from facto-
ries for those displaced by wildfi res. “We have people
who have waited here for more than a year and still don’t
have their homes,” she says.
By Henry Houston
The factory will be at the former American Steel Plant
in west Eugene, which SVdP purchased on May 11, 2022, for
$8.35 million, and HOPE will take over and lease
space to SVdP for a storefront business, McDon-
former steel plant in Eugene will
TERRY MCDONALD
ald says. The philanthropic nonprofit Oregon
soon be a mobile home manu-
facturing site.
Community Foundation is also providing HOPE with
The mobile home manu-
fi nancing to convert the building into the factory.
facturing will be led by the
Finding staff to work in the plant will be diffi -
nonprofit Housing Options
cult in the current hiring market, McDonald says.
Production Enterprise (HOPE),
So HOPE will work with local agencies, such as
which will operate alongside St. Vincent de Paul.
Lane Community College and Lane Workforce.
HOPE received money to kickstart its endeavor
“One of the long term goals for us is to grow that
from the Oregon Legislature, and it intends to
labor force,” he says of the shortage of electri-
build manufactured homes for wildfi re survivors,
cians, plumbers, carpenters and other vocational
as well as address the state’s housing crisis. And
workers. “Having this factory setting where they
if the nonprofi t succeeds, it could be a model for
can learn those skills would be ideal.”
the nation, says SVdP Executive Director and —
McDonald says the plant will manufacture
now — HOPE President Terry McDonald.
single- and double-wide units. The single-wide
For years, St. Vinnie’s, as SVdP is known,
units will be 770-square foot with two bedroom
'IF THIS PARTICULAR CONCEPT WORKS, IT’LL BE A BIG
has bought and renovated many mobile home
and one bathroom, and the double-wides will be
parks serving low-income people in the area,
1,260-square foot three bedroom, two bathroom
DEAL FOR THE COUNTRY. WE’LL BE TAKING A NOT-
McDonald says. The homes were in poor condi-
units, he says. They’ll also be energy effi cient
FOR-PROFIT MODEL AND SPREADING IT INTO DEALING
tion and not energy effi cient or resilient against
and fi re resistant, but also aff ordable, he adds.
WITH A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM OF THIS KIND OF HOUS-
wildfi res, he adds.
“That’s the trifecta that we’re looking for,” he says.
ING ACROSS THE COUNTRY. I’M HOPING THIS CAN BE A
SVdP found itself buying new mobile homes for
Marsh says that she would like to see Oregon
MODEL FOR DOING THIS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.'
the parks, but the costs of the units were always
be home to a regional hub for manufactured
Terry McDonald, SVdP executive director and HOPE president
rising and the supply was decreasing. So he and
home factories. With climate change increasing
other housing stakeholders talked about creat-
the likelihood of higher intensity wildfi res, an
During the 2022 legislative session, the Legislature
ing a facility that would develop manufactured homes to
Oregon-based manufacturer could provide housing to
passed many bills fi lled with cash for projects throughout
address the aff ordable housing crisis.
wildfi re survivors in an effi cient way, she says.
the state. Marsh earmarked $15 million to help HOPE get
McDonald says he spoke with the governor’s offi ce
McDonald says if the HOPE model works, it could serve
started with its enterprise to build prefabricated hous-
and state lawmakers about this idea. And during the
as one solution to the nation’s housing crisis.
ing units for those displaced from wildfi res.
2022 legislative session, state Rep. Pam Marsh of south-
“If this particular concept works, it’ll be a big deal for
McDonald says that rather than having St. Vinnie’s
ern Jackson County called him to see if he was serious
the country,” McDonald says. “We’ll be taking a not-for-
receive the money from the state, he had another nonprofi t
about manufacturing the homes.
profi t model and spreading it into dealing with a systemic
with 501(c)3 status ready to go.
“What we’re doing is looking strategically at upstream
problem of this kind of housing across the country. I’m
The organization that would become HOPE had no
impacts,” Marsh tells Eugene Weekly. “How to get ahead
hoping this can be a model for doing this throughout
assets or business activity attached to it, SVdP Marketing
of this housing crunch. How to increase the capacity for
the country.” ■
and Communications Coordinator Joel Gorthy says, and
housing. It’s really thinking outside of the box.”
For more information on St. Vinnie’s, visit Svdp.us.
A NONPROFIT ASSOCIATED WITH ST. VINNIE’S
WILL START MANUFACTURING MOBILE HOMES IN EUGENE
FOR WILDFIRE SURVIVORS, AFFORDABLE HOUSING
A
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