Affordable apartments for low-income Astorians, coming to downtown
November 15, 2024
Construction is beginning on a 50-unit building in the Downtown Historic District that will open to low-income seniors and other individuals in early 2026
ASTORIA, Ore., November 14, 2024 — Much-needed affordable housing for low-income seniors, people with disabilities and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness is underway in downtown Astoria.
Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA) started construction last week on Owens Adair II (Owens II), a 50-unit apartment building at 1596 Exchange St. that is expected to be ready for residents by February 2026. NOHA will be the long-term owner and operator.
The three-story, 39,000-square-foot Owens II will rise next to the original 46-unit Owens Adair, on an adjacent .4-acre lot. When the new building is complete, the expanded Owens Adair campus will provide 96 total units of low-income housing for seniors, people with disabilities and individuals experiencing chronic homelessness in the Downtown Astoria Historic District, one block from the waterfront. Clatsop Community Action (CCA), a nonprofit that helps people meet basic living needs, will staff an office on the campus to provide on-site services and connections to vital programs and resources for residents of both buildings.
The City of Astoria’s Comprehensive Plan recommends that housing for the elderly and handicapped should be encouraged in Astoria’s downtown area, so residents can be close to amenities and services.
“The city identified a need, and we feel gratified to be partnering with NOHA as their development consultant to help meet it. This project will house 50 community members for the next hundred years, at least. It’s something to celebrate,” said Wendy Klein, senior development manager for Community Development Partners (CDP), NOHA’s development consultant on the project.
Hsu-Feng Andy Shaw, NOHA’s executive director, said the groundbreaking is proof that Astorians care about each other: “This housing will uplift generations of vulnerable Astorian seniors and people with disabilities who need our help the most,” he said.
“As an Astorian, I am especially pleased that NOHA is bringing 50 modern, affordable apartments to our city, at Owens II,” said David Oser, chairperson of the NOHA Board of Commissioners. “People talk a lot about the need for workforce housing, which is critical. But Astorians who have aged out of the workforce or whose disabilities prevent them from working – they need quality housing, too.”
The 50 new units are a mix of studios (10) and one-bedroom apartments (40). Three fourths of the units will be reserved for individuals with incomes up to 30% of the area median income (AMI), or $19,410 for a one-person household. The other 12 units are for residents with incomes up to 50% AMI, or $32,250 for a one-person household. The 50 units include 33 units for seniors (age 62+), four units for individuals with physical disabilities, and 13 permanent supportive housing units for people exiting homelessness. Of the 50 units, there will be an additional preference for 7 units for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Owens II is designed to mirror and complement the Owens Adair, built in 1931 as an addition to the St. Mary’s Hospital complex, the first hospital in the Lower Columbia Region, which was established in 1880. The project will incorporate a ceramic coated siding, high performance windows, and a standing seam metal roof to meet the standards of the Historic Landmarks Commission. It will also have a 58.4 kW solar array and is targeting Earth Advantage Platinum and Energy Trust of Oregon Path to Net Zero certifications.
The project is financed with 9% Low Income Housing Tax Credits, HOME and HDGP funds from Oregon Housing and Community Services; OR-MEP funds; grants from CareOregon, Clatsop County, Fairview Trust and Energy Trust of Oregon; 25 project-based Section 8 housing vouchers; and 13 permanent supportive housing rent assistance vouchers and services funding.
The development team includes: Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA), owner; Community Development Partners (CDP), development consultant; Key Bank, construction lender; Network for Oregon Affordable Housing (NOAH), permanent lender; National Equity Fund (NEF), equity investor; Jones Architecture, architect; LMC Construction, general contractor; and Clatsop Community Action (CCA), resident and supportive services.
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About Northwest Oregon Housing Authority (NOHA)
NOHA is a regional housing authority formed in 1983 by the official action of Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook counties. Prior to that, the three counties began working collaboratively in 1975 as a non-profit corporation, the Northwest Oregon Housing Association. The tri-county collaboration has been working together for 47 years to provide housing and services to the region. The mission of NOHA is to ensure access to safe, affordable, decent housing for eligible residents of Clatsop, Columbia, and Tillamook counties and to break the poverty cycle by providing opportunity for self-sufficiency.
