New Family-Focused Apartment Community
Adds 206 Affordable Homes in Southeast Portland.
Home Forward’s Hazel Ying Lee Apartments Demonstrates Progress in Tackling Homelessness and Housing Affordability Issues in Portland with Voter-Approved Funding
PORTLAND, ORE. – More than 100 people, including elected officials, public funders, construction and design partners, and community members joined Home Forward today to celebrate the grand opening of Hazel Ying Lee Apartments in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood of Southeast Portland. This new apartment community offers 206 affordable homes for families and was made possible in part by Portland’s Housing Bond. Home Forward CEO Ivory Mathews was joined by Portland Commissioner Carmen Rubio and speakers representing the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS) and Colas Construction.
“With the addition of 206 new homes in Southeast Portland, Hazel Ying Lee Apartments demonstrates that we are making progress in building more affordable housing for families across our region,” said Mathews. “The building’s namesake, Portland resident Hazel Ying Lee, was a remarkable and courageous trailblazer in U.S. history. Her legacy is proof that we can–and must–work to overcome barriers for the benefit of future generations.”
The new family-focused community, located at 3000 SE Powell Blvd. in Portland, includes 206 apartment homes with a mix of studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. Sixty-five units are designed with two or more bedrooms to accommodate families with children. The rent will be affordable for households with incomes at or below 60% Area Median Income (AMI), with 50 homes offering rental assistance, allowing tenants to pay 30% of their income.
“This project exemplifies Portland’s voter-approved Housing Bond funding hard at work,” said Commissioner Rubio. “By investing in neighborhoods like Creston-Kenilworth, we are addressing the urgent need for affordable housing and helping families remain in their communities.”
Building features include a community room and kitchen, free Wi-Fi in common areas, a computer lab, indoor and outdoor play spaces, a large laundry room, a basketball court, raised garden beds, and bike storage. The community is conveniently located with a walk score of 89, providing easy access to Powell Park, Cleveland High School, the SE Powell Blvd. commercial district, grocery stores and frequent service bus lines.
“The Hazel Ying Lee Apartments are a really important example of the importance of public funding at the federal, state, county and city levels,” said HUD Region 10 Administrator Andrew Lofton, who praised the collaboration behind the project. “This development showcases the commitment of our community to provide safe, affordable housing for families.”
“Building the Hazel Ying Lee Apartments has been a remarkable journey,” said Andrew Colas, President and CEO of Colas Construction. “We were thrilled to be selected to serve as the general contractor for this family-focused development. It allowed us to build a community that’s centered around families overcoming barriers with the right support.” At the time the contract was awarded to Colas Construction, it was the largest contract ever awarded to a Black-owned construction firm in the State of Oregon.
The building was named in honor of Portland resident Hazel Ying Lee who graduated from Cleveland High School down the street from the apartment community on Powell Blvd. Hazel was the first Chinese American woman to earn a pilot’s license and fly for the U.S. military.
“As we celebrate today’s grand opening, let us think about our ancestors and the legacy they left like Ah Ying Lee, and how we carry that legacy in service to the future generations who will call this place home,” said Mary Li, a member of the Oregon Housing Stability Council who represented OHCS at the event.
On-site resident services include permanent supportive housing funded by Metro and JOHS and provided by the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization (IRCO). Cornerstone Community Housing is providing resident services, and Key Property Services will manage the property.
“The supportive housing services provided here will be critical to ensuring families stay stably housed,” said Dan Field, director of JOHS. “These services will make a real difference in the lives of families exiting homelessness. This project demonstrates our commitment to addressing housing insecurity and supporting our most vulnerable populations.”
The Hazel Ying Lee Apartments were made possible through funding from the Portland Housing Bond and support from the City of Portland, Metro, JOHS, OHCS, HUD, and Bank of America. Holst Architecture and Colas Construction led the design and construction.
See the media kit for building renderings, a time lapse construction video and event photos. For more information about Hazel Ying Lee Apartments, visit homeforward.org/hazel-ying-lee.
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About Home Forward
Home Forward is the largest provider of affordable housing in the state of Oregon. Its mission is to ensure that the people of the community are sheltered. Home Forward has a special responsibility to those who encounter barriers to housing because of income, disability, or special need. Go to homeforward.org or call (503) 802-8300 for more information.
Contact:
Martha Calhoon
Chief Communications Officer
Home Forward
Martha.Calhoon@homeforward.org
