Affordable housing bond program

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Learn how Metro is making progress toward new affordable homes across the greater Portland region.

An orange construction digger with its bucket extended sits on a partially-leveled muddy parcel, on a sunny day with evergreen trees in the distance.

New funding and resource opportunities

Metro-owned land is available to developers responding to Gresham’s January 2023 affordable housing bond request for proposals. Successful proposers could also be eligible for $2.9 million in gap financing from Metro’s site acquisition program.

Learn more and apply

A crowd of people gather and enjoy a variety of food cards and info booths in the courtyard of the affordable housing project Rockwood Village in Gresham on a sunny day.

Read the story report

“Building for belonging” tells the stories of people who recently moved into new affordable homes across greater Portland – and how the regional affordable housing bond is outpacing promises made to voters in 2018. Stories, photos, graphs and maps bring to life the meaning of affordable housing, and invite celebration of this important milestone: the first bond-funded homes have opened! And more are being built every day.

Read the story report

A man stands in the playground and garden common areas of a housing complex

Learn more about supportive housing

In May 2020, voters in greater Portland approved a measure that will raise money for supportive housing services for people experiencing or at risk of experiencing houselessness. These services will end chronic homelessness in greater Portland.

Learn more about supportive housing

A graphic with a map in the background that has house icons of different colors and a screenshot of a section of Metro's affordable housing bond progress

Affordable Housing Bond progress

Check out the full Affordable Housing Bond progress dashboard see the housing production so far and how much of the bond funding resources have been used.

Affordable Housing Bond progress

A screenshot of the supportive housing services data dashboard that highlights more than 1,066 supportive housing units were created from July 2021 through December 2021. It includes a bar graph and text explaining the definition of supportive housing

SHS progress dashboard

Clackamas County, Multnomah County and Washington County are leveraging numerous resources to help people exit homelessness and transition into safe, stable housing. View the full dashboard to learn about the regional progress made from July to December 2021 after the voter-approved Supportive Housing Services (SHS) program began.

SHS progress dashboard

RID Patrol Data Dashboard

Metro's RID Patrol tackles the problem of dumped garbage on public property and provides other cleanup services. You can check the status of past reports and view real-time data about the RID Patrol on the data dashboard.

RID Patrol Data Dashboard

Orchards at Orenco I apartments in Hillsboro

Learn more about equitable housing

Metro’s Equitable Housing Initiative convened local and national experts to research and coordinate on funding and investment solutions to the affordable housing crisis.

Learn more about equitable housing

Aerial view of affordable housing project Viewfinder apartments in Tigard, with the setting sun illuminating the 6-story gray and white building.

An aerial view of Viewfinder apartments in Tigard.

The number of new affordable homes needed in greater Portland could be the equivalent of an entire city: We are about 48,000 homes short. Rents in greater Portland have risen swiftly in recent years – much faster than incomes – pricing out especially Black, Indigenous and other people of color, immigrants, veterans, people with disabilities and other low-income renters. More people need affordable housing, and there is not enough to meet the demand.

Decision-makers in greater Portland have recognized that a housing crisis of the magnitude we are facing needs a regional response. In 2018, Metro partnered with local cities and counties to engage the community and ask voters to support the creation of new affordable housing in the region. The resulting voter-approved bond generates $652.8 million and will create homes for approximately 12,000 people.

Now Metro collaborates with local cities and counties to fund and create new affordable housing and to provide supportive housing services. When people have ample, truly affordable housing options to choose from in each neighborhood across the region, everyone benefits.

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Housing news

Where all roads converge: housing case management

By Lauren Everett
Nov. 14, 2022 9:50 a.m.

Michael Davis is a housing case manager for the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization in Washington County. He not only connects people with housing and rent assistance, he helps them with many other aspects of their life.
Finding home at the Viewfinder: Tonya and Charlene

By Lauren Everett
Oct. 18, 2022 1:45 p.m.

Two moms and their families are looking to the future after finding stable and affordable housing at the Viewfinder, one of the first apartment communities that uses Metro affordable housing bond funding to open.
Rockwood Village: Gresham’s newest affordable apartment community

By Lauren Everett
July 26, 2022 2:20 p.m.

Rockwood Village was the first development with Metro housing bond funding to welcome residents, and it hosted a grand opening celebration on July 19th. Thanks to collaborative efforts between the City of Gresham, Metro, Multnomah County, and other nonprofit and private sector partners, this new apartment community brings 224 income-regulated apartments to the Rockwood Town Center area.
Metro’s affordable housing bond program on track to deliver promises to voters

July 19, 2022 5 p.m.

This week, Metro released the annual affordable housing bond report. The report includes details about bond housing production across the region in 2021, showing significant progress toward delivering on promises made to voters.
One week in Metro’s affordable housing bond projects

July 11, 2022 11 a.m.

Late June was a busy time for Metro housing bond projects, with two grand openings and a groundbreaking in one week. The three apartment communities will provide affordable homes for 264 households throughout greater Portland.
More houseless veterans reached thanks to Metro’s supportive housing services funding

By Lakeeyscia Griffin
June 14, 2022 4:30 p.m.

Non-profit Do Good Multnomah is using funds from Metro’s supportive housing services measure to help veterans identify barriers keeping them from accessing housing, create navigation plans and transition to long-term stability.