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March 30, 2011
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Sfiori lit uh (0b surlier HOUSING special edition
Page 5
Teaming Up for Affordable Housing
Walnut Park
remodel saved a
community asset
In June 2010, R EA CH Community
D evelopm ent reopened the new ly
renovated W alnut Park A partm ents,
in order to preserve and m aintain
m uch-needed affordable hom es for
northeast Portland seniors, located
in the heart o f the K ing neighbor­
hood.
R EA C H team ed up the City o f
Portland to identify W alnut Park as
one o f 11 Portland-area properties in
danger o f being sold and losing their
affordable rents. The apartm ents are
available for rent to those earning
less than 50 percent o f area m edian
family income.
Resident M azell R udder couldn’t
be m ore thrilled.
“W orking with R EA C H has been
w onderful,” R udder said. “T his new
building has brought so m uch jo y
and peace within m e to see the project
com ing together, and the change in
the atm osphere.”
T he kind w ords underscore the
residents’ reaction to the dram atic
transform ation.
The building is located in a neigh­
borhood w here long-tim e residents,
fordable housing and create a sus­
tainable asset for the neighborhood.”
R EA C H is team ing up with the
Urban League o f Portland to provide
senior services and referrals to W al­
nut residents. The com pletely reno­
vated apartm ent building features
smoke-free units, raised planting beds
for gardens, a new com puter lab, ADA
upgrades and several sustainability
updates to im prove indoor air quality
and w ater conservation.
Energy im provem ents are saving
an estim ated 100,000 kilowatt hours
in the first year. LM C Construction
and C arleton Hart A rchitecture do­
nated the new raised planting beds,
planters, and pergola flooring.
F u n d in g for the W alnut Park
A partm ents project w as provided by
Bank o f A m erica, M eyer M em orial
Trust, N etw ork for O regon A fford­
able H ousing, O regon H ousing and
Com m unity Services, Portland Hous­
ing Bureau, and the U.S. Dept o f
H ousing and Urban D evelopm ent.
photo by C arlton H art A rchitecture
T
he d ev elo p m en t team included
In an effort to preserve affordable housing for longtime senior residents in a predominately African-
American neighborhood o f northeast Portland, REACH Community Development acquired the Walnut R EA C H C om m unity D evelopm ent,
LM C C onstruction, C arleton Hart
Park apartments. They engaged Carlton Hart Architecture to upgrade the 20-plus-year-old building.
A rchitecture, and the H ousing D e­
particularly seniors living on fixed
“As change accelerates in rapidly says R E A C H ’S H ousing Develop-
v e lo p m e n t C en ter. W alnut Park
incom es, are being displaced from gentrifying neighborhoods like those m ent Project M anager Jessica W oo-
A partm ents are located at 5272 N.E.
the com m unity. N early one third o f surrounding W alnut Park, longtim e druff. “W alnut Park is a perfect ex-
Sixth Ave. For renting inform ation at
the residents living at W alnut are residents living on fixed incom es are am ple o f how com m unity partners
REACH properties, call503-231 -0682
over 80 years old.
especially at risk o f being displaced,” cam e together to save existing af­
or visit reachcdc.org.
Own your first home the right way.
Affordably.
We’re a nonprofit serving folks for more than ten years.
We offer:
homes priced below market ($100k-$140k)
monthly payments close to current rents
reduced property taxes (by about 10-30%)
low down payments (just $500—$1500)
lots of help and support (before & after you buy)
Give us a call.
503.493.0293 xIO | www.proudground.org | se habla español
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GROUND