This Thursday, the Housing Authority of Washington County and Related Northwest hosted a celebration to mark the opening of Terrace Glen Apartments in Tigard. The new development brings 144 affordable apartment homes to the area.
Metro’s affordable housing bond paid for $17.5 million and Metro’s transit-oriented development program (TOD) paid for $500,000 of the $51.2 million building, which was developed by Related Northwest in partnership with the Housing Authority of Washington County. Additional funding came from county and state sources, in addition to the private sector. It is the second Metro bond-funded apartment community to open in Tigard after the Viewfinder, and the twelfth to be completed region-wide.
Located in the heart of the Metzger neighborhood in the Washington Square District, Terrace Glen Apartments is an affordable apartment community for low and very low-income households making 30%-60% Area Median Income. Three units have been designated as permanent supportive housing for homeless youth between 18 and 24 years of age. Permanent supportive housing combines affordable housing assistance with support services to address the needs of people who have experienced chronic homelessness.
Home Plate will provide services for these youth households, while EngAGE will offer resident services for all tenants in the realm of arts education, health and wellness and computer classes. The Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization has an on-site office and will provide outreach services and supplemental resident services.
Designed by C2K Architecture and constructed by Walsh Construction, the building is filled with artful details like paintings and colorful tile work. Two four-story buildings form an inner courtyard to create a central communal space with a playground, shaded tables and a barbeque area.
The courtyard is surrounded by common area amenities, including a community room with kitchen, teen lounge, arts and crafts space, shared laundry, and parking for cars and bicycles. The apartment complex is located near public transportation, retail, restaurants and healthcare services. It includes studios, as well and one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom apartments, with rents ranging from $592-$1,760 per month. The building has an Earth Advantage Multifamily Certification, which means it meets elevated sustainability goals.
Speakers at the opening event emphasized the importance of partnership and the unique contributions of each agency.
“It takes a lot of people putting these things together – everyone of them has a lot of partners and it’s a complex thing,” said Metro Councilor Gerritt Rosenthal. “Together with the TOD monies and the housing monies and the supportive services we’re tackling a very large statewide problem, [a] regional problem.”
Washington County Chair Kathryn Harrington agreed: “Meeting community needs requires partnerships and collaboration – it’s key to success. The better our neighbors do, the better we do.”
Reflecting on the impact of this new apartment community she said, “I’m so proud that Washington County can be part of the solution to the big societal issue of housing. This is a much-needed project, providing homes for working-class families to set roots and have long-term housing stability.”
Voters passed the $652.7 million regional affordable housing bond in 2018 with a goal of building housing for 12,000 people around the region. The program is now on target to build enough housing for 14,000 people, with rents locked in at affordable rates for 60 to 99 years.
There are over 850 affordable apartment homes open, with almost 2,500 in production. All funds will be allocated by the end of 2024. To learn more about the bond and its progress visit the affordable housing bond progress page.