12-03-2025
Portland breaks ground on new affordable housing for seniors
PORTLAND, Ore. () — The City of Portland and Metro will break ground on a new affordable housing building located at 3704 Interstate Ave. in North Portland on March 12.
The M Carter Commons building is named in honor of former Oregon senator Margaret Carter, who will be in attendance for the groundbreaking ceremony. Carter was the first Black woman elected to the Oregon legislature and the first Black woman elected to any state legislature west of the Mississippi.
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'Sen. Margaret Carter inspires us to honor and support the seniors in our community,' Metro Councilor Mary Nolan said. 'In her name, we break ground today on a project that will house older adults in a safe, comfortable and convenient community. Around the country, homelessness among older adults is rising faster than any other population. This region needs housing like the M Carter Commons as demand for affordable senior living grows.'
When complete, the M Carter Commons will provide 62 new studio and one-bedroom apartments in Portland's Overlook neighborhood. The apartments will be given to older adults earning less than 60% of the area median income. Twenty-one units are also planned for residents earning less than 30% of the area's median income. Tenants will be chosen based on the city's North/Northeast Preference Policy.
'This policy aims to address the harmful impacts of urban renewal, eminent domain and historical inequitable housing practices in the North and Northeast Portland community,' a joint statement by the Portland Housing Bureau and Metro states.
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The project was funded by both public and private funds, including $8.1 million from the voter-approved Metro affordable housing bond and a $3,000 grant from Metro's Transit Oriented Development Program.
Kaiser Permanente donated the land for the building, which is valued at $1.3 million. The property will be located next to Kaiser's North Interstate medical campus and TriMet's Overlook Park MAX Station. Northwest Housing Alternatives and the Urban League of Portland are co-owners and developers of the property.
The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. and will conclude at 4:30 p.m.
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