Kôr Community Land Trust (Kôr) and Housing Works were selected by Deschutes County to purchase and develop the 7.12 acres at 19755 Simpson Avenue into affordable housing. The innovative partnership between the local public housing authority, Housing Works, and nonprofit Kôr, will bring 110 new homes to the west side of Bend providing both rental housing and home ownership opportunities that will remain permanently affordable for generations. Specifically, Housing Works will develop the parcels east of 18th Street into 68 apartments and 12 townhomes available for rent to households earning less than 60 percent AMI. Kôr will utilize the westernmost parcel to build 30 for sale goal net-zero single-family homes for households earning between 65-80 percent AMI. The initial site plans, designed by Pinnacle Architecture for the rental units and Ten Over Studios for the homeownership units, presents an equitable approach to the site, its neighboring community, and the natural landscape and existing treescape. Given this approach, the joint proposal was supported by a number of abutters and local organizations, who provided Deschutes County Commissioners with letters of support.
Housing Work’s Executive Director, David Brandt, reflected that, “the Simpson Ave. property offers a unique opportunity for Deschutes County to invest in affordable rental and permanently affordable homeownership, serving the broad housing needs of the community on a single site.”
Kôr Community Land Trust’s Executive Director, Jackie Keogh, detailed, “Our permanently affordable homeownership opportunities will allow for lower-income residents to advance through the affordable housing continuum. Families living in Housing Works’ affordable rentals would have the opportunity to purchase a Kôr resale on the same site, in turn staying in their community, school district, and with established family supports, like daycare centers.”
In 2014, Housing Works and Kôr joined forces to help bridge the gap between the stability of affordable rental housing and the opportunity for affordable homeownership. The partnership has a proven history of building award winning housing that is attractive, energy efficient and affordable to Central Oregonians.
