OREGON CITY, Ore. — A new affordable housing complex in Oregon City is under construction and expected to open this summer. Las Flores will be seven buildings on four and a half acres of lane, providing 170 units of affordable housing as well as an open green space and community center.
The property is near Highway 213 and South Beavercreek Road.
“The design itself speaks very much to what we're trying to accomplish,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda Community Development Corporation. Fonseca explained they're trying to create more than just a place to live. It starts with plenty of outdoor space for people of all ages to be together.
“The ability to have walking trails and outdoor amenities and to have access to nature right outside your door, that was a really important component given that the project was otherwise bounded by roads,” said Eric Paine of Community Development Partners, the other group involved in designing and constructing the project.
The same collaboration and design model created affordable housing in Gresham that opened last summer. Rockwood Village Apartments is also built around bringing people together, with grass and gardens and a community center that hosts classes and gatherings for residents young and old.
So too, will Las Flores, which is for those who make from 30 to 60% of the area median income. Units range from one to four bedrooms. There will also be a dozen apartments reserved for those who work agricultural jobs in Clackamas County and another nine units for those at risk of or transitioning from homelessness.
“All of these pieces are pieces that we hope will be empowering as well as giving individuals the opportunity to grow and keep moving forward,” said Fonseco.
For now, construction keeps moving forward, as Las Flores works toward a summertime opening, for a new community.
Funding for the project comes from several sources, including metro's affordable housing bond fund. People can apply to live at Las Flores starting this spring.