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Supportive Group Living Model
Portland, Oregon

The Group Living Model fits well on small sites in traditional Portland neighborhoods.

Like many cities, Portland, Oregon, has a substantial need for housing for very low-income individuals with special needs, particularly the chronically mentally ill. The city's five-year housing and community development strategy and the county's Consolidated Plan both identify affordable housing with linked services for persons with serious disabilities as a high priority in the Portland area.

However, developing such housing was problematic for several reasons. First, the residents typically would have very low incomes, so the development could support little or no debt. Second, there is often neighborhood opposition to such development. Third, Portland needed a flexible group living home design that could meet the physical and program needs of residents, fit on an infill lot, and not stand out as special needs housing.

In response to these needs and concerns, the Housing Authority of Portland (HAP) developed a Group Living Model-an architecturally designed model for construction of group homes. The model, a residence containing five single room-occupancy (SRO) units, features a menu of design options to fit each home's residential needs.

The model includes five bedrooms, each with a private bath, and a shared kitchen, living room, and dining area, as well as an upstairs sitting area. Each resident has an individual food storage area. The exterior design uses traditional forms and materials to ensure that the structures will fit well into surrounding neighborhoods.

After developing the model, HAP issued a request for proposals from service providers with which it could form partnerships. From the response, HAP created a list of providers to match available sites for future developments of the Group Living Model.

Once the design model was completed and service provider partners identified, the major concern was finding sources of debt-free financing. The residents of these units typically cannot afford rents high enough to support any debt service; consequently, HOME funds administered by the City of Portland have been a significant source of funding for the 7 projects completed to date. Other sources have included Oregon State Trust funds, the Oregon Department of Mental Health Services, and a community development block grant. The county has contributed several tax-foreclosed lots.

Since 1994, the process has been used to develop 7 structures housing 35 residents. HAP develops and owns the housing and commits to preserving it as affordable for at least 25 years. Management and service provision are handled jointly with the nonprofit service provider partners. These partnerships allow HAP to minimize operating costs to the point that they are covered by rents.

The development and use of the Group Living Model enabled HAP to reduce the time, energy, and effort usually required to produce special needs housing. The housing that has been built using the model has provided a secure environment for disabled residents who may have been living on the streets or in emergency shelters.

Contact: Jeanette Sander, Development Program Manager, Housing Authority of Portland, 503/273-4514

Copyright 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000
Affordable Housing and HOME
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
630 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3736
Telephone: (202) 289-3500
Fax: (202) 289-4949