Hattie Redmond units are all permanent supportive housing (PSH), available for people who are exiting homelessness. The PSH model is considered to be a best practice and a proven strategy that can help stabilize individuals experiencing chronic homelessness. Here, referrals come from Coordinated Access, a system created in 2018 in Multnomah County to streamline and provide equitable access to shelter and housing interventions on behalf of low-income and disabled individuals. One of the goals of the development is to reconnect Black individuals to the neighborhood and to each other; supportive services in the building are provided by Urban League staff.
“Hattie Redmond Apartments is a model for how the City of Portland can make progress in housing people more quickly and with thoughtful community engagement,” said Ivory N. Mathews, CEO of Home Forward. “This building will provide safe shelter to 60 formerly homeless people in need of culturally specific supportive services. From the location to services offered to building amenities, Urban League of Portland thought of everything. This gives us hope that many more people who have been homeless can— and will—thrive with the right support.”
At four stories and 34,000 square feet, Hattie Redmond is on the Yellow MAX line. On the ground floor, residents share a community room/kitchen, conference room and laundry facilities. Individual studios have full kitchens and baths in addition to living space. Floors are hardwood, with cabinetry to match. The building also features original donated artwork from six Black and brown artists adding cheer throughout, including a portrait of Hattie Redmond.
“For decades, I've watched our members be priced out and pushed out of neighborhoods that were once stable and welcoming of Black Portlanders,” said Urban League of Portland President & CEO Nkenge Harmon Johnson. “We also know that more Black developers and property owners are a necessary part of the solution. For those reasons, the Urban League chose to be co-developers of the Hattie Redmond Building as well as provide wrap-around services for residents.”
Over the last three-plus decades, U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance has partnered on 95 affordable housing projects, investing more than $492 million in equity and more than $611 million in lending to create or rehab 9,000+ affordable housing units in the Portland area.
Nationwide, U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance provides tax credit investments and syndications, lending and other financial solutions to help create affordable housing, spur economic activity in underserved communities, restore historic buildings, develop renewable sources of energy and strengthen Community Development Financial Institutions.