Matthews explained Dekum Court will introduce 80 two-bedroom, 41 three-bedroom, and seven four-bedroom apartments to the affordable housing market. Of the 187 units that will ultimately be available, 61 will be affordable to households earning 30% or less of the area family income. To be eligible for the remainder of the units, families must have incomes at or below 60% of the area median family income.
Amid a homeless crisis and affordable housing shortage, the site of a future affordable housing building in downtown Portland is being celebrated as the latest example of a “housing-first” approach. The Fairfield Apartments at Southwest Harvey Milk Street and 11th Avenue is currently being gutted for renovation and construction, but by early 2025, developers expect the site will be home to nearly 75 people moving out of homelessness. The building dates back to 1911. Leaders.
Home Forward, in partnership with Urban League of Portland, celebrated the groundbreaking of the Fairfield Apartments in downtown Portland today. Fairfield Apartments will be a permanent supportive housing development for people exiting chronic homelessness. The apartment community will preserve 75 units of deeply affordable housing on SW Harvey Milk Street in the heart of Portland’s historic LGBTQIA+ community. The project was made possible, in part, by a $2 million congressional investment secured by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and U.S. Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (OR-1) through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The building is named after Harriet “Hattie” Redmond, a Black civil rights leader, who advocated for voting rights for Black Portlanders and fought racist laws.