Grand opening for Willow Creek Crossing Apartments

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Grand opening for Willow Creek Crossing affordable housing project

On Wednesday, February 19, 2020, at 10 a.m., the Housing Authority of Washington County (HAWC) and DBG Properties, LLC will host a grand opening of the Willow Creek Crossing Apartments at 18565 SW Baseline Road in Hillsboro. Scheduled to speak are Washington County Board Chair Kathryn Harrington and Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway.

This 120-unit complex will help to ease the shortage of affordable housing in Washington County and is intended to serve households at or below the 60 percent area median income, which is $52,740 for a family of four. Over half of the units have been leased and residents began moving in earlier this month.

Nearly four years ago, HAWC began working with DBG Properties, LLC, an established private developer of affordable housing based in Portland, to explore a creative public-private partnership that would expand the County’s inventory of regulated affordable housing units. Over time, that partnership grew to include the City of Hillsboro, Metro, Oregon Housing and Community Services and many others.

The $33.1 million project received funding from several local and state sources to include $300,000 from the City of Hillsboro, $500,000 from Metro, $250,000 from Meyer Memorial Trust, $4.5 million from the Oregon Housing and Community Services LIFT Rental Housing Program, and $12.8 million in equity from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program, administered by Oregon Housing and Community Services.

Other key funding partners included Key Bank, Key Community Development Corporation (KCDC), Umpqua Bank and the Community Housing Fund. The tract of land was formerly owned by Washington County and was transferred to HAWC by the Board of Commissioners to serve low-income families.

According to HAWC Executive Director Komi Kalevor, the project location couldn’t have been more ideal. “We’re very grateful that the Commissioners donated the land in the first place and because of its’ strategic location along the MAX and TriMet bus lines, we were able to secure Transit-Oriented Development funding for the project from Metro. With PCC Willow Creek Center literally in the back yard, and the ability to provide leased commercial space, there are so many wonderful opportunities that came with this location—ones that we don’t typically see with other affordable housing projects in Washington County.”

The Housing Authority of Washington County (HAWC) is a separate entity of Washington County's Department of Housing Services, responsible for housing development and portfolio management. HAWC, either directly or through a wholly owned affiliate, may work with developers, financial institutions and government agencies to build, acquire or rehabilitate thriving affordable housing communities in Washington County. For more information, please visit https://www.co.washington.or.us/Housing/housing-development.cfm .

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