Hacienda CDC is proud to announce funding from the Portland Clean Energy Fund—the first ever climate fund in the country created and led by people of color.

This investment in Hacienda’s MEE Casa initiative will provide cleaner air, increased comfort, better health, reduced financial burden, and improved social outcomes by upgrading six multifamily affordable housing communities with a total of 243 units.

These upgrades will positively impact over 1000 low-income residents in our communities, 92% of whom are people of color. The project includes removing gas-powered heating, installing solar arrays totaling 849.5 kW, heat pumps and cooling devices where needed, as well as LED lighting, and new bathroom fans. An average energy savings of almost 70% is expected for residents.

This MEE Casa initiative aims to reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and related greenhouse gas emissions, improve indoor air quality, and support the well-being of over 1,040 members of our resident communities, including 473 children. The vast majority of our residents identify as black, indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC) and all households earn 60% of Area Median Income and below.

The MEE Casa initiative will directly benefit these historically underserved communities and give them the opportunity to directly benefit from climate action investments that will build a stronger Portland.

This $9.4 million investment is critical to providing green and healthy affordable housing in North and NE Portland and includes solar power installation; new cooling and heating units; transition to all energy efficient electrical systems and appliances; heat pump water heaters; LED lighting and bathroom fans.

Hacienda CDC will implement the project over a four-year period with our strategic partners Neil Kelly Company, International Center for Appropriate & Sustainable Technology (ICAST), PAE Engineers, and the Oregon Environmental Council.

“We are thrilled the PCEF Committee is recommending Portland City Council fund this investment which will improve the lives of over 1,000 people. We feel strongly that this is the exact type of investment the Portland Clean Energy Fund was created for– improvements that will measurably decrease energy consumption and increase the quality of life for Portland’s community members.”- Ernesto Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer of Hacienda CDC.

Residential buildings account for one-third of Oregon’s climate emissions. Retrofitting existing buildings is critical to meet decarbonization goals and create green and healthy homes and communities.

Low-income and underserved communities bear the burden of rising temperatures and climate-driven events such as heat domes and wildfires associated with a warming planet. As a Latino-founded and led organization that is an owner and steward of affordable housing and community building, Hacienda CDC is a leader on this front and is committed to increasing the well-being and resiliency of our communities.

Hacienda CDC places the health and well-being of residents front and center, especially now as the warming climate becomes a threat to their well-being. Investments made through the MEE Casa initiative will improve their safety and comfort, resulting in healthier and more resilient households. The implementation of this initiative will allow residents to not only feel supported and secure enough to successfully navigate their day-to-day lives but to also advocate and champion preventative climate-related investments after feeling the benefits of such policies firsthand. 

Las Adelitas will soon be coming to life and will provide 142 safe, quality, affordable homes in the heart of Portland’s Cully neighborhood. We are excited to announce a collaboration with an incredible Latina artist, Michelle Angela Ortiz, who will be outfitting the building with a custom mural inspired directly from neighbors and community members in Cully. Read on to learn more about her work, inspiration, and the importance of this project. 

Image courtesy of Michelle Angela Ortiz

Michelle Angela Ortiz is an artist who describes herself as using her “art as a vehicle to represent people and communities whose histories are often lost or co-opted.” We might also think of her as a historian in real time, capturing histories as they happen, creating a testament of community that represents them and their stories, allowing them to feel seen and understood.

Ortiz has created over 50 large-scale public works in the United States and abroad. She has been a cultural envoy in Fiji, Mexico, Argentina, Spain, Venezuela, Honduras, and Cuba. Her work happens in a range of expressions with the common thread of giving communities a voice. 

We are honored to be working with Michelle Angela Ortiz to bring a mural to Las Adelitas which will extend along the main entrance of this community along Killingsworth St.  Her work will be assisted by local Portland artist Oliver Casillas.

Her Background  

Born and raised in Philadelphia, Ortiz proudly shares that she still lives in the same neighborhood she has lived in all her life. Her mother is from Colombia’s Caribbean coast and her father from Puerto Rico, both activists before there was a name for it.  

“It was about being kind and standing up when things were not fair,” she explains. Her father was a bolero singer and a janitor, bringing home scrap paper from offices he cleaned for Michelle to turn into art. Everything she saw, she turned into art, from scenes in the open-air market to everyday acts of courage. She remembers these days fondly as the roots of her artistic career: “I saw art everywhere, it was my foundation.” 

Orgullo Otomí, public art created Michelle Angela Ortíz.

Michelle Angela Ortiz’s work dives into the importance of heart and home within the immigrant experience. “I come from a family that might not see its experience as having importance, but for me, it is placing value in that, acknowledging and honoring the story of my grandmother; to me it is as important as knowing about Thomas Jefferson, understanding our journey and where we come from.” 

The artist translates the communities’ stories into art. Whether immigrant communities, formerly incarcerated groups, teens, graffiti artists, grandmothers, she values the importance of this responsibility. What results is a local response to the common theme of “how can we utilize moment /space to represent their stories and the changes they want to see?” 

Conversations with the Community 

After 23 years working as an artist in communities, her process always begins with a conversation. Jessica Lam, Resident Services Manager at Hacienda CDC worked with Living Cully to organize a series of meetings with the community.  

In one of the conversations, the community was asked what images might represent family to them, home away from home, and even freedom. The group came up with a list of different images, which will then direct future images taken by photographer Mariana Fernandez, to inspire the design of the mural.  

“How do you build community and belonging in a space that is working so hard to displace you, whether through systems or individual interactions?”

— Michelle Angela Ortiz

Olga from Guatemala suggested an image of girl playing freely, hands making tortillas, feeding her family, showing a connection to tradition. Carrie spoke of having a white mother and an African-American father and reflected on racial discrimination. Lizette even wrote a love letter to Cully. The images, says Ortiz, have meaning that “is both personal and universal.”  

Mural in Tegucigalpa, Honduras by Michelle Angela Ortiz.

Michelle points out that she is aware of her role as “la visitante,” and is able to connect to individuals by hearing their stories fully and finding her own parallels with the community where she grew up. This allows her to make connection about what is being said, but also looking for what is missing. She begins deeper conversations with a poignant question: “What have you learned from your ancestors that you bring into the work that you do?”

Her work strives to understand belonging, a concern among many immigrants. She knows this feeling well, developing art that reflects a community while simultaneously acknowledging and fighting against the systems of oppression that works against that community and reflects, “how do you build community and belonging in a space that is working so hard to displace you, whether through systems or individual interactions?” 

These conversations have helped craft a mural that will represent the strength of women and the bright future of the Las Adelitas community while balancing the struggles of the past and present. “Acknowledging the struggle, but not letting it be the focus… filling the mural with light and positivity and all good things Cully has to offer, without shying away from the current obstacles the community faces.” 

Reflections 

Learn more about Michelle Angela Ortiz and the impact of her work and visit her website www.michelleangela.com

After years of doing this valuable work, she shares that for her, “the common thread is the importance of speaking up and sharing our story and sharing our truth. And I have seen change happen in waves, from little ripples to huge waves of change and I feel that art plays a role in supporting local justice, local community involvement and engagement, and I think that for artists, we play a huge role in really getting to the heart or the core of the work.” 

When asked what she hopes the observer takes away from this mural, she says, “I really would like them to see themselves represented. It is so important to have representation, to feel seen, to feel valued.” She hopes that the young children that see the mural and the transformation of the space will feel a sense of new possibilities and witness the impact of collective action on their community.   

Jaclyn Sarna, helping students through our Expresiones program.

In early December, Hacienda celebrated Jaclyn Sarna as our newest Chief Operating Officer!

Jaclyn has been working at Hacienda for over 10 years and began her career as an After-School Program Coordinator. She continued her trajectory into management and was recently the Interim Chief Operating Officer before taking on this new opportunity.

We appreciate Jaclyn’s leadership, stewardship, and tenacity. She is a great leader serving alongside Hacienda faithfully. Read more about Jaclyn and her story.

Jaclyn Sarna, Chief Operating Officer

Jaclyn Sarna, has stepped in as our new Chief Financial Officer as of March 2022. As we transition into a new chapter on our finance team, we have also welcomed new leadership to our Real Estate and Economic Opportunity departments.

Jerome has a background in investment management, commercial real estate finance and development, renewable energy finance, and financial services industries. In addition, he has over 20 years of experience in affordable housing finance in all aspects of the industry, including equity investing, investor relations, construction, and permanent lending. Jerome gained this experience under Fannie Mae, HUD, and private banking. Jerome also brings significant expertise in CDFI funding and administration, helping organizations diversify and strengthen their products to increase their impact and financial stability.

Jerome graduated from the University of Illinois, Chicago, and holds Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Public Accountant Certifications. Jerome comes to us from Castle Island Group Consulting in the Chicago Metro Area.

Hacienda is increasing its impact and growing its team.
Want to learn about new opportunities to build community? Visit our careers page.

Hacienda CDC and Community Vision, a local organization working to dismantle barriers to housing options and gaps in services for people with disabilities, have completed construction on the first Small Homes Northwest ADU in Portland, Oregon.

Tracy, Community Vision staff member hands keys to Amy, the first Small Homes Northwest resident.

The first resident of the Small Homes Northwest Project has received her keys and moved into her new ADU (Accessory Dwelling Unit) after years of seeking the independence a home of her own would offer.  

Amy, the first resident of the ADU pilot project, and an existing client of Community Vision’s housing access program is thrilled to finally have a place to call her own.

For decades Amy lived with roommates; giving up on the dream of independent living. “I just didn’t think this dream would come true,” she says. She is excited about the new opportunity of living in a brand-new dwelling that she can call her own.

Hacienda CDC’s Small Homes Northwest Project develops ADUs on existing residential properties to rent to people in need of local and affordable housing options. This model provides much-needed housing to community members and build wealth-generating opportunities for modest-income homeowners.

This first ADU, built in partnership with Community Vision, an organization that “provides services, education, and advocacy to ensure that people with disabilities direct their own lives,” was built behind an existing home owned by the organization with hopes of building new units as a less costly way to provide affordable housing to their clients.

Courtesy of Mitchell Snyder Architecture

“One of the things that’s incredibly exciting for us about the ADU opportunity is, for many people with disabilities, they dream of having their actual own place; a house, unfortunately, is not affordable for most.” says Jennifer Knapp, Executive Director at Community Vision.

An ADU requires a smaller amount of capital and subsidy than typical apartment units while increasing the demographic and socioeconomic diversity of residential neighborhoods, which studies show increases the social cohesion, tolerance, and fair-mindedness of a community.

“People are coming by to say hello already,” says Joe Wykowski, Founder and now Strategic Housing Outreach Consultant of Community Vision. He shares that local residents are supportive of the ADU development and have given their new neighbor a warm welcome.

This first ADU with Community Vision was funded in part by the Kuni Foundation and the pilot stems from years of planning spurred by funding from Meyer Memorial Trust and the Oregon Legislature. Soon, the Small Homes Northwest Project will open ADU development to homeowners’ backyards.

“I hope that the Small Homes Northwest project can provide economic prosperity for those that live in these spaces, and I look forward to seeing more of these units developed to not only provide a new beautiful building for property owners but also support the urgent housing needs in our community.” Remarks Ernesto Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer of Hacienda CDC.

 Click here for more information about Hacienda’s Small Homes Northwest initiative.

Racial and economic disparities in access to safe, affordable housing existed long before COVID-19, and the pandemic has only widened these divides. In the new year, Hacienda will pilot a new solution, Small Homes Northwest (SHNW). 

SHNW is a program to build small backyard homes—also called accessory dwelling units (ADU) or casitas—as affordable rentals. We aim to build up to three energy-efficient casitas in Portland neighborhoods at risk of gentrification, in partnership with moderate-income homeowners and local community organizations, including Community Vision. The casitas will be regulated affordable rentals for a period of 10 years, built at a fraction of the public cost of a typical affordable apartment. 

Why we are excited about this approach 

SHNW benefits both homeowners and renters. Right now, ADU’s are primarily built by people with wealth for long-term investment. Our goal is to work with moderate-income homeowners in quickly gentrifying neighborhoods for whom an affordable rental casita in their backyard can raise their property value and generate income while also increasing the stock of affordable rental units for low-income individuals and small families. The program is a natural complement to Hacienda’s ongoing work to build affordable housing and support stable homeownership. 

The SHNW pilot project is funded by Meyer Memorial Trust and resources secured by Verde. We are thrilled to share that the Oregon Legislature passed a bill, HB 3335, allocating a $1,000,000 grant to Hacienda to fund a demonstration project and create the opportunity for replication across the state. 

Our partners in this pilot include Bend/Redmond Habitat for Humanity and DevNW. Both joined us in advocating for this pilot project as a statewide tool to create new affordable rental housing and to provide stability and asset-building for modest-income homeowners. Many community partners, including 1000 Friends of Oregon and the Oregon Housing Alliance, provided letters and testimony in support of HB 3335. 

We received strong support in the last Legislative session for this pilot (House Bill 4015), but it was one of the many bills that did not get final approval due to the walkout. The bill was re-introduced in the 2021 session by Representative Meek, and endorsed by the Oregon Housing Alliance. 

What's next? 

We are proud to announce that HB 3335 was signed into law by the Governor on July 19 and will be administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services. 

We want to express our deep thanks to the Legislature, and specifically Representative Meek for sponsoring HB 3335 and co-sponsors Representatives Bynum, Leif, Pham, Ruiz, and Salinas, and Senators Frederick and Jama. 

Funding from the Legislature will allow us to demonstrate the model by building up to 8 affordable ADU’s, both in the Portland Metro area and across the state. This is a key innovation to help meet the growing need for affordable housing. 

Our long-term hope is that this ADU model will give community organizations throughout Oregon a new tool to achieve the goals of adding modest residential density in single-family neighborhoods to help address our affordable housing crisis. 

Courtney Freeman, a hospital health educator and mom who lives in Northeast Portland knows firsthand the life-changing effects of homeownership. "I really worked hard on my way to being a homeowner… I know what it’s like to struggle and here I am, a homeowner." When asked about our pilot ADU program she says, “I looked at this as: here’s two people who can meet each other halfway and help each other.”  

Stay tuned for more updates as we roll out this program. 

“I work like a laborer, delegate like a foreman, and study like an intern,” says Saulo Quezada with a smile after a long day’s work. That’s how he describes LMC’s approach to developing his skills as a Foreman on the construction of Las Adelitas through a unique partnership between Verde and LMC.

Verde and Hacienda were early neighborhood partners in identifying the need to acquire and convert the Sugar Shack, a former strip club, into a community asset. Las Adelitas, which is under development by Hacienda with LMC as the general contractor, will include 142 units of affordable housing and is scheduled to be completed and welcome new residents in October 2022.

With the goals of continuing Verde’s participation and expanding the organization’s capacity to manage future projects, LMC and Verde agreed on a two-pronged approach: for Verde to assist LMC in the selection of a subcontractor to install the solar panel system and for Verde to hire a Foreman intern to be trained and mentored by LMC throughout the 18-month project construction schedule.

Now that the solar subcontractor, Neil Kelly/O’Neill Electric, has been selected, and Saulo’s been on the job for six months, those two paths are converging: Saulo has been assigned as the lead LMC contact for the solar panel array installation. “It’s a lot of responsibility. First I need to learn how the roof is constructed and then figure out how the array connects to it. I’ve been watching videos and studying the plans. I can go down rabbit holes real easy,” says Quezada.

A self-described former hoodlum from Santa Ana, CA, seven years ago Quezada, the son of Mexican immigrants, left behind a carefree lifestyle that consisted of working as a carpenter, taking college classes, surfing, skating, and boxing, as well as enjoying the close-knit network of family and friends in the largely Mexican-immigrant community. “I woke up from a dream one day where I saw my future, and I was disappointed. I hadn’t realized my full potential.” That same night, he bought the cheapest one-way ticket out. Never having visited Oregon before, he landed in Portland in September 2013 wearing shorts, a tank top, and no socks. “I didn’t even have a jacket. I had never experienced rain and dark nights like that before.”

Not knowing how long he’d stay, couch surfing, and relying on his savings, he slowly began piecing together odd jobs including bartending, sales, and the occasional construction gig. He made a commitment to stay when he moved into an apartment three months later. “I was either going to succeed or end up homeless,” he says. “No calling home for help or money.”

Curious by nature, Saulo found himself drawn to project management and teamwork. “I like to be in the mix,” he says, describing the process and sequence of events needed to turn an idea into a physical reality. This led to long-term employment with a local producer of custom wood coverings for high-end products. He could see the wood come in one door, and the finished product out the other, and enjoyed being part of every process in between.

In the meantime, Saulo had developed two new passions: cycling and social justice. His interest in cycling had started in Santa Ana as a cardio workout alternative to his boxing coach’s running assignments, but became a lifestyle when he started commuting and found a supportive community in Portland. Although familiar with low-income, Latinx, and immigrant communities, in Portland Quezada became more aware of other marginalized groups. He saw an opportunity to expand participation in cycling and began volunteering his time and skills with BikePOC, which assembles bikes and hosts rides to welcome people of color, women, and the LGBQT community into cycling.

By 2020, Saulo began thinking about how to incorporate these passions into his career plans. With a fresh resume and a solid track record, he applied to local cycling manufacturers as well as for two program management positions with Verde without success. A bit discouraged, it was then he received the call offering the Foreman internship. Verde had remembered his applications and thought this was the perfect fit.

“I was scared. It took me a month to think it over before accepting the position,” says Saulo. His main trepidation was the construction worker culture, where he had previously observed racist, sexist, and homophobic comments. “The work is hard enough, there’s no reason people should be subjected to that at the jobsite.” Quezada consulted with friends and decided his leadership could create space for more people, but he needed to establish clear boundaries.

Quezada says LMC’s Superintendent Bob Kantola set the standard from the very beginning: “Bob tells us it’s about the greater good.” Kantola, who has more than 40 years of construction experience, sits down with Saulo every week to go over the project plans and schedule, helping him to navigate the project management software, and to understand how the building’s elements fit together. “Bob’s built the environment, and Carlos is my main mentor, he helps me see, not just what’s happening today but also how it connects to three months from now.”

Saulo with Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC

The Las Adelitas story and Hacienda’s mission attracted Quezada to the job. “I wouldn’t have taken the position for just any construction project. It was Hacienda’s involvement and the community they serve that makes it matter. I want to see my people, Latinx, Africans, low-income, immigrants, LGBQT, etc. benefit from this work.” Quezada has described the project to his mother who is familiar with the Adelitas story and she tells him “Think of us, think of me.” Everyday he shows up to work with a smile because he sees the connection to his own past, knows he’s part of something bigger than himself, and is continuing to grow as a person. “I remind myself everyday: Hard Work. Dedication. Joy. Patience.”

Before arriving in Portland, Quezada thought he wasn’t meant to succeed. “I realize now the difference between success and failure is just not stopping. From cycling I learned about endurance and resilience. I need to keep pedaling, moving forward, and I’ll get there.” He is motivated by building opportunities for others, noting that children will see the mountains from the upper floors, as far as they can see will be views of something beautiful and the endless possibilities in the bigger world. “I can’t wait for this to be completed. I can see it now. We will have done something to elevate the next generation.”

On December 14th, the Oregon Legislature, in Special Session, approved a $5 million appropriation for the Port of Portland and Hacienda Community Development Corporation to build prototypes of modular housing units, made from mass timber, that can be deployed to various sites throughout Oregon.

The mass timber modular manufacturing facility at the Port’s Marine Terminal 2 aims to support Oregon’s emerging mass timber industry, grow regional economic development opportunities, create career pathways and business opportunities for struggling communities, and accelerate housing production.

The Port and Hacienda joined together with the Oregon Mass Timber Coalition to create a strategy to accelerate housing production. Speaking to the Legislature, Curtis Robinhold, Executive Director of the Port of Portland, said: “Legislative funding will help pay for Hacienda CDC and the Port of Portland to develop, manufacture and deploy prototype modular houses made from mass timber in at least three Oregon communities in the next 12-24 months. The prototype housing units will be barged and trucked from Terminal 2 to communities throughout Oregon to provide housing opportunities to communities in need.”

Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC said: “Hacienda’s core mission is providing affordable housing for individuals and families in our community. As affordable housing needs continue to evolve, we are committed to exploring and advancing new ways to meet the needs of our diverse Oregon communities. This partnership with the Port of Portland fills a gap for modular housing developed right here in Oregon, providing not only new housing options but job opportunities and new markets for Oregon wood products. Additionally, developing modular homes will address construction labor shortages in smaller and rural Oregon communities and could offer rapid response options to address housing shortages created by emergencies, like wildfires. We appreciate the Legislature’s investment and the opportunity to partner with the Port of Portland.”

Robinhold continued, “Given the magnitude of need for more housing options for people at all income levels throughout Oregon, it’s clear that we need innovation and faster ways to produce homes. The modular home building industry is emerging, and no factories in Oregon are currently using mass timber technology. Prototyping will put existing research to a new use and demonstrate potential for new modular building concepts. Once tested, manufacturing can be scaled up leading to improved supply and reduced costs, reduced build times and less waste of materials.”

Following the creation of the prototype, Port of Portland and Hacienda will assess the economic, environmental and efficiency of creating these units at scale. Additional potential benefits cited by the partners include: additional jobs in manufacturing, construction and forestry; supporting Oregon’s emerging mass timber industry; and addressing severe housing shortages throughout the state.

 Listen to Ernesto and Curtis discuss this project on OPB’s Think Out Loud.

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About Port of Portland

Established in 1891 by the Oregon Legislature, the Port of Portland owns four marine terminals, three airports (Portland International, Hillsboro, and Troutdale) and five industrial parks. The mission of the Port is to enhance the region's economy and quality of life by providing efficient cargo and air passenger access to national and global markets.

About Hacienda CDC

Hacienda CDC was formed in 1986 to provide necessary housing and supportive services in a low-income, predominantly Latino community. Hacienda has since built 381 units of community-centered affordable rental housing in communities in North and Northeast Portland and in Molalla. Today, Hacienda is building new affordable housing in NE Portland and Gresham and will more than double the number of affordable homes they offer in the next two years. Hacienda embraces a holistic approach to development and serving Latinos and low-income individuals and families throughout Portland with programs in Community Economic Development, Homeownership Support, and Youth & Family Support Services. Hacienda has grown to become Oregon’s largest Latino-led, Latino-serving housing organization. As Portland’s Latino population has grown rapidly, Hacienda continues building capacity to offer bicultural services to Latinos and other low-income families throughout the Portland metropolitan area.

Want to help increase access to affordable housing in our community? Submit a Design Request for Proposal.

Hacienda partners with PBOT to distribute Transportation Wallet

Earlier this year, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) kicked off a new pilot program of the Transportation Wallet program for residents of affordable housing. The goal? To make it easier for residents to use the variety of transportation options available in our community. Thanks to this pilot, Hacienda’s Resident Services team distributed 60 Transportation Wallets to residents!

The Transportation Wallet is a collection of passes and credits for use on transit, streetcar, bike share and scooters, and Uber/Lyft created by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). PBOT partnered with Hacienda and other community organizations to provide a package of transportation options incentives, known as the Transportation Wallet, for up to 500 residents in the participating housing developments – 60 of these were distributed through Hacienda.

Hacienda residents who met the eligibility requirements to participate in the transportation wallet pilot program processed their application through Hacienda’s Youth and Family Services, Resident Services.

Flavio Garcia, Resident Services Coordinator, said feedback from participants shows “…that for folks, this opportunity is really helpful as transportation costs have become a heavy burden. The residents who participated two years ago were grateful that the event was happening again, as the need for HOP passes has increased with people returning to work and school in person.”

“These programs are very necessary in our community,” says Jessica Lam, Resident Services Manager. “We hope the program grows to meet the demand of transportation.”

Resident Services Coordinator, Mohamed Ali added, “Some folks who don’t own a vehicle said to me that they had to purchase or reload their HOP pass for about $30-$45 a month and said that this program really helped them because they are unemployed.

More information on the pilot is available here.

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Small Homes Northwest is a pilot project to build Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU’s) in backyards of moderate-income homeowners in Portland neighborhoods at risk of gentrification.  We are thrilled to share that the Oregon Legislature passed a bill allocating a $1,000,000 grant to Hacienda to fund a demonstration project and create the opportunity for replication across the state.

We want to express our deep thanks to the Legislature, and specifically Representative Meek for sponsoring HB 3335 and co-sponsors Representatives Bynum, Leif, Pham, Ruiz, and Salinas, and Senators Frederick and Jama.

Our partners in this pilot include Bend/Redmond Habitat for Humanity and DevNW. Both joined us in advocating for this pilot project as a tool to create new affordable rental housing and to provide stability and asset-building for modest-income homeowners.  Many community partners, including 1000 Friends of Oregon and the Oregon Housing Alliance provided letters and testimony in support of HB 3335.

Funding from the Legislature will allow us to demonstrate the model by building up to 10 affordable ADU’s, both in the Portland Metro area and across the state. This is a key innovation to help meet the growing need for affordable housing.

Our long-term hope is that this ADU model will give community organizations throughout Oregon a new tool to achieve the goals of adding modest residential density in single-family neighborhoods to help address our housing crisis.

A good example is Courtney Freeman, a hospital health educator and mom who lives in Portland just east of Northeast 82nd Avenue. Ms. Freeman says “I really worked hard on my way to being a homeowner… I know what it’s like to struggle and here I am, a homeowner. I’ve got this huge backyard, and here could be someone else that’s coming from either a similar situation or a not so similar situation. But we both can relate to the struggle. I looked at this as: here’s two people who can meet each other halfway and help each other.”

HB 335 was signed into law by the Governor on July 19 and will be administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services. Stay tuned for more updates we roll out the program in the coming months!

Rockwood Village is the first Metro bond-funded project to move in residents

Gresham, OR (September 1, 2021) – Rockwood Village, a new affordable housing community co-developed by Community Development Partners (CDP) and Hacienda CDC (Hacienda), welcomed the first 39 of 224 households last week. This milestone marks an exciting moment for the community and its new residents, and also for the 2018 voter-approved affordable housing bond measure, as this is the first Metro Bond-funded project to move in residents.

Rockwood Village is a new 7.4-acre, 224-unit affordable housing development located at 783 SE 185th Avenue in Gresham that includes five residential buildings, a community building, a privately funded public park, and an urban farm. The project was designed utilizing the principles of Asset Based Community Development to meet the needs of the community and includes a mix of one- to four-bedroom homes for households of a variety of sizes and income levels. The first residential building and the community building opened last week, and construction continues on the four remaining buildings, which are all scheduled to open by February 2022.

“It is exciting to meet our new residents as they move in and start this new chapter in their lives,” said Jessica Lam, Resident Services Manager with Hacienda. “Many said they are excited about the location and the opportunity to get back on their feet financially and are also interested in attending workshops we plan to host like health and wellness, financial coaching, gardening, and others.”

“I am most excited about meeting new people in the community,” said Christopher, a new resident.

“What I am most excited about is having my own place,” said Jose Ricardo, a new resident whose sentiment was shared by others.

“​I am happy to know that Rockwood Village is opening to provide more affordable housing for families in Gresham, thanks to the investment voters made in 2018,” says Metro Councilor Shirley Craddick. “Rockwood Village is joining nine other developments in the greater Portland region partnering with Metro, like the Mary Ann in Beaverton and the Viewfinder in Tigard, to make available more affordable housing.  These voter-approved investments are bearing fruit and will be assets to our community for decades to come.  Everyone deserves a safe, stable place to live.”

“We are very happy to welcome the first residents to Rockwood Village,” says Gresham Mayor Travis Stovall. “Making sure everyone in Gresham has a stable and affordable place to call home is one of City Council’s top priorities. It is exciting to see the services provided by Hacienda CDC that will make this community a home. We are proud of the investments underway in our Rockwood neighborhood.”

“We are extremely proud of Rockwood Village and excited to welcome the first families,” said Eric Paine, CEO of Community Development Partners. “Providing affordable, human-centered housing designed with long-term community engagement in mind is what our mission is all about. We appreciate the City of Gresham and Metro for their investment and ongoing support of this project, and we’re incredibly grateful to the community stakeholders and local leaders who helped turn the vision of Rockwood Village into a reality.”

Hacienda is Co-Developer and Co-General Partner on the project alongside Community Development Partners. In addition, Hacienda will provide an array of resident services to strengthen and support families and individuals living in Rockwood Village and the surrounding community. On-site services will include after school and early childhood education, homeownership classes, and small business advising.

“For over 30 years we have been developing housing for Latino and low-income communities,” says Hacienda Chief Executive Officer, Ernesto Fonseca. “Developing 224 apartments that people can call home in Gresham is driven by one of our values, to serve our communities where they are. We are also excited to bring to the Rockwood community a robust set of services because we know that it takes more than housing to succeed.”

An important asset in this multi-acre development is the community building, or “Mosaico Room,” which features a full kitchen and flexible community space. Located at heart of the development, the Mosaico Room is designed to foster health, education, and social activities, and be a central place for Hacienda to host community classes and events.

Rockwood Village is also designed to encourage outdoor recreation with a new privately funded public park, “Neighbors Park.” Neighbors Park includes an outdoor playfield, meandering walking paths, picnic areas, a play area, and community gardens. The park will be open to the public when construction is complete in early 2022.

Rockwood Village was designed by Portland-based Waechter Architecture in collaboration with PLACE and PSU’s Center For Public Interest Design and is being built by LMC Construction. Funding for the project includes Metro Regional Affordable Housing Bond funds, 4% LIHTC equity/conduit bond financing, Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) GHAP funds, OHCS Weatherization funds, equity and construction financing through KeyBank, and a permanent loan with Freddie Mac.

Rockwood Village will serve individuals and families earning 30%-70% of the area median income, with rents ranging between $500-$1,894 depending on floor plan and income level. Intended to meet the needs of larger family sizes, approximately 80% of the units are two-, three-, and four-bedrooms. Metro Regional Affordable Housing Bond funds were used to create units affordable to households making 30% or less of median family income.

Rockwood Village was also one of the first affordable housing development in Oregon to implement the IRS’ new Income Averaging guidelines for affordable housing, meaning development-wide the project will achieve an average AMI of 60% (approximately $58,020 for a family of four). Community m embers interested in exploring housing opportunities at Rockwood Village can learn more at rockwood-village.com. This work is possible through strategic partnerships with the City of Gresham, Metro, Oregon Housing & Community Services, Community Development Partners and Hacienda CDC.

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About Community Development Partners
Founded in 2011, Community Development Partners develops and operates sustainable, life-enhancing affordable housing with a focus on long term community engagement and innovative design. As a mission-driven, forward-thinking organization, CDP is focused exclusively on creating vibrant affordable housing communities that incorporate art, public parks, gardens, fresh food, and cultural and social programming. Today, CDP has successfully built or preserved 35 unique projects comprised of over 2,800 units throughout Oregon, California, Nevada, and Arizona.

About Hacienda CDC

Hacienda CDC is a Latino Community Development Corporation that strengthens families by providing affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement, and educational opportunities. Hacienda owns 381 affordable housing units in North and Northeast Portland and Molalla, providing safe, stable homes for over 1,500 individuals each year, over half of whom are children.  Hacienda embraces a holistic approach to development with programs in Community Economic Development, Homeownership Support, and Youth and Family Support Services.

Hacienda CDC to break ground on Las Adelitas, 142 new affordable homes in Portland’s Cully neighborhood

On Friday, March 12th at 9:30 am, Hacienda Community Development Corporation (CDC), community partners, neighbors and elected officials will officially break ground on Las Adelitas, a new, four-story, multi-family affordable housing development in the Cully neighborhood of NE Portland. Las Adelitas will bring new life to a site that for years was home to a strip club and a hot-bed of illegal activity, replacing it with 142 new affordable homes.

“Hacienda, along with our community partners, have been working for more than five years to redevelop this site in the Cully neighborhood,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC.  “The road to get here has been bumpy, and the plot twist at the end was a pandemic. But the tenacity, hope and vision of the community have paid off. We couldn’t be more excited to put the first shovels in the ground next Friday and start construction on a building that will be home to over 400 people,” Fonseca added.

Las Adelitas was designed by Salazar Architects and will be constructed by LMC Construction at the corner of NE Cully Boulevard and NE Killingsworth Streets. Construction will start this month and the building will be complete in October 2022.

“Las Adelitas will be the largest redevelopment project to date in the Cully neighborhood,” said Kevin Kellogg, Hacienda’s Director of Real Estate Development.  “Many partners came together to make this affordable housing a reality, including the Portland Housing Bureau, Oregon Housing and Community Services, and the talented teams at Salazar Architects and LMC Construction.”  Funding for the project includes over $15 million from the Portland Housing Bond, a 2016 voter-approved initiative to build more affordable housing in the City of Portland.

“Rents are rising fast in all of Portland and Cully is no exception.  Las Adelitas means families will be able to continue to live in this community,” said Jaclyn Sarna, Hacienda’s Director of Youth and Family Services.

In addition to housing units, the building will include classroom space for Hacienda’s Portland Niño’s program, which aims to reduce academic and health disparities among Latino children by providing support for families with children from birth to age five.

Las Adelitas will include a mix of units, from studios to three-bedroom apartments. A portion of the units at Las Adelitas will be dedicated to individuals exiting homelessness and supportive services will be provided by Cascadia Behavioral Healthcare.

The groundbreaking celebration will be from 9:30 – 11:30 am on Friday morning. Speakers at the event include: Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler; Speaker of the House Tina Kotek; Portland Housing Commissioner Dan Ryan; Oregon Housing & Community Services Director Margaret Salazar; Hacienda Board Chair Peter Platt; and Hacienda CDC Founder and former Multnomah County Commissioner Maria Rojo de Steffey.

Attendees will be required to wear masks and practice social distancing. The event will also be livestreamed on Hacienda’s social media.

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About Hacienda CDC:

Hacienda CDC is a Latino Community Development Corporation that strengthens families by providing affordable housing, homeownership support, economic advancement and educational opportunities. Hacienda owns 381 affordable housing units in North and Northeast Portland, Molalla, providing safe, stable homes for 1,500 individuals each year, over half of whom are children.  Hacienda embraces a holistic approach to development with programs in Community Economic Development, Homeownership Support, and Youth and Family Support Services. Hacienda is also developing Rockwood Village, 224 units of affordable housing in Rockwood, in partnership with Community Development Partners. Rockwood Village is set to open later this year.

About the name Las Adelitas:

During the Mexican Revolution many women, who became collectively known as Las Adelitas, took up arms and supported the fight for freedom alongside the men. These women played a variety of roles within the army including camp and medical care, soldier, spy, and some even commanded troops. They traveled with the army throughout the revolution, and unlike the men, they did it all on foot since they were not allowed to ride horseback. Hacienda honors these strong women at this particular site, reminding us that women have always been critical to social change and ongoing struggles for justice and liberty, in spite of the limits placed on them by society and the fact that their contributions are often overlooked by history. In addition, the site for this new housing community was previously home to an adult entertainment complex that harbored prostitution and human trafficking. Replacing an institution that used to exploit women with one that honors the legacy of strong, inspirational women is powerful to us and to the community.