Affordable Rental Apartments
Rooted in Legacy, Designed for Community
Affordable Rental Apartments
Rooted in Legacy, Designed for Community
These apartments are more than housing—they are part of a restorative vision for Black Portland. Located at the historic Williams & Russell site, 85 affordable rental apartments will serve families earning 30%–60% of Area Median Income.
Every apartment is built with purpose, connection, and long-term stability in mind. This is where Black families can establish roots, save money, and invest in their future—not their landlord's.
Williams & Russell was once the home of a bustling economic spine to Portland's Black community. It was the place to find the finest clothes, the best eats, and wall-to-wall soul. These blocks were the rhythm and soul of the city.
In the early 1970s, hundreds of people were forced from their homes and businesses with little notice, bulldozed to the ground with next-to-nothing in return. The promise? An expansion of the nearby Legacy Emmanuel Hospital. A promise that laid vacant. 1.7 acres. Vacant, for years, that turned to decades.
This project is reclaiming that space and planting opportunity where community was uprooted. This isn't development as usual. This is reparative development, where return, repair, wealth creation, possibility and community control are at the core.
Every part of this process has been guided by Black leadership, Black vision, and Black community input. From architecture and design to construction and community strategy, the entire team reflects the deep roots running through this project.
Think This Could Be Home?
If you or your family were displaced from North/Northeast Portland—or have generational ties to the community—you may qualify under the City of Portland's Preference Policy.
All prospective residents must qualify for the City of Portland's Preference Policy, which prioritizes those displaced—or with generational ties to those displaced—from North and Northeast Portland due to urban renewal.
What's Included - Designed for Community, Built for Families
Family-Centered Living
Flexible apartment configurations designed with families in mind. Every complex is designed with community space, outdoor area, parking, resident services, and cultural daycare. Energy-efficient features help keep utility costs manageable.
One-, Two-, and Three-Bedroom Layouts
Cultural Programming
Community room for celebrations, meetings, and neighbors getting to know neighbors. This is more than housing—it's home.
Community Spaces
Resident Support & Amenities
Resident services designed to help families thrive, from housing stability support to community connections.
On-Site Services
We prioritize community. Your information is safe with us. All apartments are reserved for Portland's Preference Policy families.
Affordable Housing Project Partners and Funders
Development and Design Partners
MEP Engineer
Structural Engineer
Contractor
Civil Engineer
Solar Contractor
Architect
Environmental Engineer
Accessibility Consultant
Developer
Acoustic Engineer
Landscape Architect of Record
Lighting Designer
Lead Landscape Architect
Structural Engineer
Consultant
Envelope Consultant
Join the Return. Power the Movement.
This sacred ground is coming back to life, but our work is far from finished. Williams & Russell CDC isn't just restoring buildings—we're rebuilding community power and creating a national model for reparative justice.
Every family that comes home, every business that opens, every dollar invested in Black-led development sends a message: We don't just have the right to remain. We have the right to return, to thrive, and to lead.
Be part of this historic movement. Your support fuels the return.