New Columbia is a HOPE VI mixed-income and mixed-use public housing project in Portland, Oregon. Developed by the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP), the $151 million master-planned neighborhood is located on an 82-acre (33-ha) site–formerly the home of the troubled Columbia Villa public housing project–and features 854 residential units including public housing, affordable rentals, seniors’ housing, and both market-rate and affordable homes for sale. New Columbia also comprises the Community Campus, a $20.2 million project anchored by a new public elementary school, a Boys & Girls Club, and a new wing and gym for a city-owned recreation center. The project incorporates a number of sustainable measures: 82 percent of building materials were recycled, a sustainable stormwater management system was installed, and three structures–the elementary school and two mixed-use buildings–achieved LEED certification. HAP, a public corporation, owns and operates the public housing units in Portland that are directly subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The housing authority, founded in 1941, also develops and acquires its own affordable housing stock: altogether, HAP oversees 6,200 residential units and is the largest provider of affordable housing in the state of Oregon. HAP also offers HUD-funded Section 8 rent assistance and administers approximately 8,000 Section 8 vouchers, an important function of any housing authority and a critical source of revenue.

Date Completed:
Case Study/Profile Type: DCS
Website: http://http://www.homeforward.org/development/property-developments/new-columbia
World Region: North America
Developer(s): Housing Authority of Portland Mithun (Master Planner)
Website (Dev.): http://www.hapdx.org, http://www.mithun.com
Designer(s): Michael Willis Architects, Robertson Merryman Barnes Architects Inc, Urbsworks Inc
Website (Des.): http://www.mwaarchitects.com, http://www.rmbarch.com, http://www.dowa.com