(Rendering courtesy of Cascade Landing)
Ahead of schedule, the first phase of the Cascade Landing affordable housing community in Bend is ready for its first residents – and a grand opening celebration is set for Thursday, October 15 to mark the occasion.
“We’re proud of Cascade Landing, and just as proud of how it came to be,” said Ben Pray, CEO of Home First Development, a Portland-based affordable housing developer. “The City of Bend, our co-developers at Green Light Development, Oregon Housing and Community Services, the Baney family – none of us could have built this on our own, and every one of these partners did something real to make this community a reality.”
The Oct. 15 event will run from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. in the community space and feature refreshments and self-guided tours. At 3 p.m., there will be remarks and a ribbon cutting. The speaker lineup includes: Home First’s Ben Pray; Bend City Councilor Steve Platt; State Sen. Anthony Broadman; Darcy Phillips of Cornerstone Community Housing; and Andrea Bell, Director of Oregon Housing and Community Services Director.
Located at Atwood Drive and Ponderosa Street, Phase 1 of Cascade Landing includes 98 units of affordable housing. It features a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, 20 of which are available to individuals and families earning 30% of the Area Median Income; the remainder are for those earning 60% of AMI. Apartments include air conditioning, quartz countertops, in-unit washers and driers and other amenities. The community also has a 3,000-square-foot community center, a central courtyard, play structures and various outdoor areas. A second phase will include an additional 96 units that should be completed in 2027.
Cascade Landing is part of a larger community that’s being developed on 40 acres of land owned by the Baney family that the city annexed in early 2025 as part of the Ponderosa Master Plan. That larger development will include nearly 400 residential units, retail and commercial spaces and a 4.5-acre city park.
Home First has partnered with multiple service providers for Cascade Landing. Cornerstone Community Housing will provide a range of services, including employment referrals, rent and utility assistance, counseling, nutrition and others. Nonprofit disability support services provider Advocates for Life Skills and Opportunity will also offer additional assistance.
Funding for development included $35 million from an OHCS Local Innovation Fast Track award, a grant and a low-interest loan from the city of Bend, permanent financing from Key Bank and grant funding from the Department of Environmental Quality’s CERTA program for projects that meet carbon reduction goals.
