Much-needed affordable rental housing is coming soon to Hood River, as city’s first major development in 14 years breaks ground
May 30, 2025
Mariposa Village, a multigenerational community featuring 130 affordable apartments and townhomes, will open in phases starting in summer 2026
Hood River, Ore., May 30, 2025 — Community leaders took a big step today toward easing the city’s long-standing housing crunch with the official groundbreaking for Mariposa Village, the largest influx of new affordable rental housing to Hood River since 2011.
The 130-unit development at 780 Rand Road, in West Hood River, will provide homes for local workers, families and seniors who have been priced out of the area’s increasingly tight housing market. Community Development Partners (CDP) and Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation (CCHC) are co-developers of Mariposa Village, on land donated by the City of Hood River.
“Healthy communities are made up of people of all income levels. People who were born and raised in Hood River, who work full-time to make our community run and make it a nice place to live, can no longer afford to live here. What’s exciting about Mariposa Village is that it will provide stable, affordable housing for those families,” said Karen Long, executive director of CCHC.
Scheduled to open in two phases starting in summer 2026, Mariposa Village will serve households earning up to 60 percent of the area median income (AMI), which for a four-person household in Hood River County is $64,140.
“We want everyone who calls Hood River home to have access to high-quality affordable housing. I’m delighted to break ground on the new community of Mariposa Village, which will not only benefit hundreds of children, adults and seniors but also be a vibrant addition to our city,” said Hood River Mayor Paul Blackburn.
About 43 percent of Hood River renters are cost burdened, meaning they spend more than 30 percent of their income for housing and may face difficulty affording food, clothing, transportation and medical care, according to the city’s 2022 Affordable Housing Strategy report. Current rental costs are relatively high and out of reach for many households in Hood River, and vacancies are low.
Outreach and leasing efforts for Mariposa Village will encourage local residents with qualifying incomes to apply, including servers, cashiers at shops and grocery stores, gas station attendants, nursing and home health aides, teacher aides, janitors, housekeepers, yoga instructors, and employees of non-profits.
Of the 130 apartments, 39 come with federal housing vouchers that will enable them to serve residents with incomes up to 60 percent of AMI. CCHC will work with local nonprofits The Next Door Inc., Nch’i Wana Housing, and Oregon Human Development Corporation to ensure that all income-eligible adults and families have the opportunity to apply to live at Mariposa Village, including members of Tribal and agricultural-worker communities.
“The Next Door is thrilled to have been a partner in the predevelopment work of Mariposa Village for many years,” said Janet Hamada, Next Door’s executive director. “We provide services for thousands of children and youth every year, many of whom do not live in safe or secure housing. Mariposa Village will help provide for these deserving families who keep our community vibrant and productive but have unfortunately been priced out of renting or buying a home.”
The seven-acre site will feature seven buildings with studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments and townhomes, amid abundant trees and green space. In a central community building, CCHC will provide “Community for All Ages” programming designed to foster connections between children, adults and seniors.
“At CDP, we have always wanted to help meet the huge demand for affordable housing in this beautiful community,” said Jessica Woodruff, CDP’s Chief Development Officer. “This is our first development in Hood River, and we’re honored to be part of such a transformative partnership with CCHC and the city.”
Mariposa Village will also include a public park with a playground, walking paths and landscape design that protects on-site wetlands. The development also includes the extension of two trails that connect to the city’s trail network. The development is named after the Monterey Mariposa Lily — a native Oregon wetland species — and inspired by the Spanish word for butterfly.
Financing and development
Mariposa Village was designed by Holst Architecture and is being built by Walsh Construction Co. PLACE is the landscape architect. Construction Management is being provided by DCM Consulting. CCHC will provide on-site resident services, including offering educational and skills programs such as Homebuying 101 courses, financial education, asset building programs, and fitness and cooking classes.
Financing includes $37 million in private activity bonds; a 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credit allocation of $3.57 million by Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), a $16 million award by OHCS as part of the 2023 Local Innovation Fast Track (LIFT) program, a $3 million award in a congressionally directed HUD Community Project Funding grant, and a $2.4 million infrastructure grant awarded through Senate Bill 1530. Additional support was provided by the Energy Trust of Oregon and the Oregon Multifamily Energy Program. The City of Hood River donated the land, and the project also secured 39 Project-Based Vouchers from the Mid-Columbia Housing Authority. Equity investment is being provided by Hudson Housing Capital, J.P. Morgan is providing the construction loan, and Citibank is the permanent lender.
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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 built, preserved or is actively developing over 55 unique projects comprising 4,800+ affordable homes throughout Oregon, California, Nevada, Arizona and Colorado. It is a certified B Corporation.
About Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation
Columbia Cascade Housing Corporation is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization that helps lower income households find stability by developing affordable housing communities within Hood River, Wasco and Sherman Counties in Oregon as well as Klickitat and Skamania Counties in Washington.
View a PDF of the press release here
