Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition Honors Mamook Tokatee in Portland with National Award
October 30, 2023
29th Annual Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award recognizes best in affordable housing
Washington, D.C., October 25, 2023 – The Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition (AHTCC) announced that Mamook Tokatee in Portland, Ore., is a 2023 recipient of the Charles L. Edson Tax Credit Excellence Award (Edson Award) in the Housing for Native Americans or Tribal Populations category, recognizing affordable housing initiatives and organizations that have demonstrated impactful use of the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit).
Presented annually, the Edson Awards honor Housing Credit developments that strengthen communities, improve resident opportunities and support economies in urban, suburban and rural areas across the country. Announced on Wednesday, October 25 at a ceremony on Capitol Hill that was attended by members of Congress and affordable housing industry leaders, representatives of Mamook Tokatee received recognition from U.S. Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), who attended the event to present the award to property representatives. Other members of Oregon’s U.S. delegation also shared their congratulations to the development.
“Mamook Tokatee’s housing projects lead the urgently needed efforts to provide affordable housing, celebrate Native culture and support indigenous communities in northeast Portland,” U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) said. “My hometown is fortunate to have Mamook Tokatee providing essential housing options in the Cully neighborhood and Portlanders are deeply grateful for its commitment to Oregon’s Native communities.”
“The Mamook Tokatee housing development is a testament to our partners across the community from the Native American Youth and Family Center, the Siletz Tribe, Community Development Partners, Metro, PGE, and many others. I celebrate this project and its reflection of what is possible when we come together and invest in our communities,” said U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.).
“Skyrocketing rents continue to burden millions of American families, even in areas once considered affordable,” said AHTCC Chief Executive Officer Emily Cadik. “The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit is the best solution we have to address this growing crisis, and this year’s Edson Award recipients are innovators who demonstrate how affordable housing financed with the Housing Credit changes communities for the better.”
“This year’s Edson winners deserve recognition for their efforts to serve communities that have distinct needs and challenges across diverse populations,” said Ryan Sfreddo, President of the AHTCC Board of Directors and Chief Executive Officer of Red Stone Equity Partners. “Congratulations to these exceptional properties and organizations for their creativity and perseverance in developing affordable housing that transforms lives and neighborhoods across the country.”
Mamook Tokatee provides 55 affordable rental homes serving the Native American community in Portland’s Cully neighborhood. The building features a variety of resident services intended to support the unique needs of indigenous communities, including access to food, clothing, and household supplies, as well as cultural activities in the area. Co-developed by Community Development Partners and Native American Youth and Family Center, with financing facilitated by National Equity Fund, Inc., a key purpose of the property is to serve Native artists, who are revered as keepers of culture in tribal communities. With this goal in mind, the property features on-site art programming, a community room and art studio intended to celebrate and invigorate Native artists and community members, and Native murals, art, and signage incorporated throughout the property’s design.
The Housing Credit is our nation’s primary tool to create and preserve affordable rental housing. Since its inception in 1986, the Housing Credit has financed more than 3.7 million affordable for over 8 million low-income households, including formerly homeless individuals and families, people with disabilities, veterans of the armed forces, and senior citizens. Through a successful public-private partnership model, the Housing Credit offers a proven track record of financing safe, quality, and stable affordable homes in communities where they are needed most.
For more information about the 2023 Edson Awards, please visit taxcreditcoalition.org/edson-awards/.
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About Community Development Partners
Founded in 2011, Community Development Partners develops and operates sustainable, life-enhancing affordable housing with a focus on long term community engagement and innovative design. As a mission-driven, forward-thinking organization, CDP is focused exclusively on creating vibrant affordable housing communities that incorporate art, public parks, gardens, fresh food, and cultural and social programming. Today, CDP has successfully built, preserved or is actively developing over 45 unique projects comprising 4,200+ units throughout Oregon, California, Nevada and Arizona.
About the Affordable Housing Tax Credit Coalition
Founded in 1988, AHTCC is a trade organization of housing professionals who advocate for affordable rental housing financed using the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (Housing Credit). For over 35 years, the AHTCC has been at the forefront of every effort to expand, strengthen and protect the Housing Credit. Our over 250 for-profit and non-profit members—including syndicators, investors, lenders, developers, legal and accounting professionals, state allocating agencies, public agencies, and coalitions—seek to preserve, expand and improve the Housing Credit and complementary programs through legislative and regulatory outreach and education. Collectively, AHTCC members have financed or developed well over half of all affordable housing nationwide. To learn more about our mission, please visit: https://www.taxcreditcoalition.org/about/.
About Charles L. Edson
The Edson Awards are named for Charles L. Edson, an affordable housing luminary who was Transition Director for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development under President Carter, served in the Office of the General Counsel at HUD and served as Co-Editor-in-Chief of Housing and Development Reporter for nearly 40 years.
