PORTLAND, Ore. — After years of sitting first as a vacant lot, then two years of intense construction, the doors are open for Lake Oswego's newest affordable housing development.
The new community, named "Mercy Greenbrae at Marylhurst commons," will bring 100 new affordable units to the site of the former Marylhurst University campus, and will be managed by the nonprofit Mercy Housing Northwest.
According to Clackamas County, the project promises apartments for low-income households and people who are in the process of leaving homelessness, in addition to support services to assist in their stable housing goals.
Mercy Greenbrae also boasts about its commitment to sustainability, claiming the project will use significantly less energy than a conventionally designed apartment complex.
The complex is currently accepting applications, so here's the breakdown on everything to know about the new affordable housing complex.
Price
When it comes to an apartment, arguably the most important detail to a prospective tenant is the price.
Mercy Greenbrae is advertised and was built as an affordable housing complex, and is reserved for "income qualified" individuals or families with one-, two- and three-bedroom options available. It includes 60 apartments for low-income households and another 40 units for people exiting homelessness.
In addition, the community advertises an array of services available to those residents, intended to support them in their housing stability goals.
According to the complex's website, residents or families who make less than 60% of the local annual median income qualify to apply. In the Portland metro area, that translates to a maximum household income of around $70,800 annually, as of April 1, 2024.
The website added that residents can expect to pay around 30% of their income for rent, and published their annual rates for 2024 as follows (as of April 1, 2024, rents subject to change):
- 1 bedroom: $1,251
- 2 bedrooms: $1,497
- 3 bedrooms: $1,726
For context, according to the latest data from Zillow, the average rent prices for the same size apartments in Lake Oswego are as follows (as of July 14, 2024, rents subject to change):
- 1 bedroom: $1,732
- 2 bedrooms: $2,207
- 3 bedrooms: $3,274
Prospective residents who meet the income threshold must also have a social security number and demonstrate the ability to pay rent.
Amenities and services
Mercy Greenbrae advertises a list of amenities and services that are available to residents, and in some cases, the general public.
In addition to typical amenities and services, such as an in-unit washer/dryer, maintenance staff and a pet friendly space, the complex offers supportive services to help their residents achieve long-term housing goals.
The complex said they believe a family's lack of financial resources should not impede their ability to access quality housing.
In the frequently asked questions section of their website, Mercy Greenbrae said beyond housing, they also offer programs focused on housing stability, health and wellness, community engagement, education and financial wellbeing. While they mention how helpful these programs can be to potential residents, the complex does not specify the exact programs that will be implemented or how they will be implemented, with the exception of a mention about out-of-school time childcare programs for children living in the community.
Design and construction
One of the biggest selling points for the Marylhurst Commons project is its commitment to sustainable energy efficient design. The project also claims to be fully electric, saying the complex will not rely on any fossil fuels for heating and hot water.
They aim to be one of the most energy efficient affordable housing complexes of its size in the country.
With help from the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary, the project is seeking Passive House certification, which prioritizes significant reductions in energy consumption when it comes to both heating and cooling. If it earns the certification, it will become the largest affordable housing development in the Northwest to do so.
To achieve this energy efficiency, the complex uses a variety of features, from high-efficiency LED lighting, ultra-high-efficiency plumbing fixtures, high-efficiency windows and Energy-Star rated appliances. They will also have a "densely landscaped bioretention planter" to treat stormwater runoff before it enters nearby natural bodies of water, as well as a solar photovoltaic system on the roof.
The roughly 100,000-square-foot building also claims to be built with the idea of "universal design" in mind, which aims to maximize accessibility, promising on their frequently asked questions page that "apartments will be accessible without having to go up or down stairs, will have access to elevators, will have large clearance areas around doorways, appliances, and fixtures, and will be designed to accommodate grab bars as needed by residents."
Cost of construction
Building an affordable housing complex is not cheap, especially when striving for energy efficiency, which can raise building costs by an estimated 4% to 5%.
In 2023, the Digital Journal of Commerce Oregon reported the project was estimated to cost just under $40 million.
Funding for the project came from several competitive public sources, according to the Mercy Greenbrae website, including a $3 million loan of voter-approved bond funds from Clackamas County. Other public funding came from sources, like the Oregon Community and Housing Service department (OHCS) and the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit Program.
The complex says the public funding requires Mercy Housing Northwest to make a 50-year commitment to keeping the housing affordable.
Funding came from private donors as well, and the complex encourages visitors to their website to donate to Mercy Housing to further their mission. The on-site resident services will be funded by rent revenue, philanthropic relationships and other revenue raised by Mercy Housing Northwest.
Residents are expected to start moving in as soon as their application process is complete.
