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Housing Services E-Newsletter

April 27, 2023 | housingservices@washingtoncountyor.gov

Welcome to first Motel Conversion to Supportive Housing in Washington County:

HEARTWOOD COMMONS

On April 20, 2023, a newly renovated 54-unit property, Heartwood Commons, was unveiled to the public with a grand opening at 3333 SW 198th Ave, Aloha. The project, made possible by the voter-approved 2018 Affordable Housing Bond and 2021 Supportive Housing Services measure, converted Aloha Inn, a former motel, into an apartment complex to provide long-term supportive housing for Washington County’s formerly homeless residents. The Housing Authority of Washington County purchased the building in 2020, initially utilizing the space as a shelter while leading renovation work to reopen the space as permanent supportive housing, professionally managed by Cascade Property Management. The opening celebration included speeches from local leaders, elected officials, and a community social over local food from La Pachanga.

Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai shared, "Having a roof over your head gives people a place to start over, a place to heal that centers dignity and humanity. This project will provide the stable foundation needed so that folks can access the crucial services they need to move along the continuum into permanent housing.”

“I’m grateful for our partnership with Bienestar, Sequoia Mental Health, and Community

Partners for Affordable Housing in delivering much-needed supportive housing in my

district," said Metro Councilor Juan Carlos González. “Projects like this offer shared and local solutions to address our regional homelessness crisis while ensuring we meet our promise to voters.”

New residents of Heartwood Commons can pick out items to make their new apartments feel like a home, thanks to donations and volunteer efforts by Sonrise Church. Check out this video below to learn more!

Community Collage Process to name Heartwood Commons

Led by artists Laura Weiler and Jessica Riehl, Heartwood Commons was named together with project staff, service providers, and local Aloha residents. The name was inspired by a free County-sponsored collage event on April 1st at Aloha United Methodist Church using source material from Aloha’s history.

The building’s new name expresses the values of permanent supportive housing. Like heartwood, the building will serve people who are strong and resilient. Commons meanwhile is defined as a property that belongs to everyone in a community. Taken together, Heartwood Commons will provide safe affordable housing and supportive services for some of our most vulnerable community members.

Sarah: A Family Self Sufficiency Success Story

Sarah enrolled in our Family Self Sufficiency (FSS) program in 2017 as a single mom with two kids. The Family Self Sufficiency program is specifically designed for families living in Housing Authority owned public and affordable housing to help them achieve financial independence and thrive. Prior to joining the FSS program, Sarah and her family had briefly fallen into homelessness. When she moved into public housing, she says, "I was just so relieved and happy. There was a backyard, the kids had their own rooms, it was unbelievable, everything I needed and more."

Coming into the FSS program, Sarah had a background as a Nursing Assistant and one of her main goals was to become an RN. About a year after enrolling in FSS Sarah was accepted into the Nursing program at Portland Community College. Sarah realized the value of the investment she was making in her own future and made succeeding in the RN program a high priority.

Part of this investment for Sarah meant leaving her job as a Nursing Assistant and relying on the very minimal income from public assistance while she spent her days attending classes, studying, and parenting her son and daughter. In the summer of 2020 Sarah graduated with an AAS degree in Nursing from PCC and was accepted into the BSN program with OHSU. A year later Sarah graduated from OHSU and started her first job as a Registered Nurse with Providence.

As a licensed RN in the State of Oregon, Sarah now possesses the skills and credentials in a high-demand field that will allow her to find employment anywhere in the world. Having worked in nursing for about a year and a half now, Sarah is on track to achieve her other main goal in the FSS program, which is to buy a home of her own and leave the rental assistance program behind.

Reflecting on the last few years, Sarah says, "I wouldn't have been able to become a nurse without this stabilization in my life as a single mom, homeless, with no education. I didn't have the family some people can fall back on, or any resources. Because of that [public housing and the FSS program] I was able to achieve my potential and become a nurse."

What is local government doing to solve the housing crisis?

Washington County released a series of videos every Friday on social media to answer FAQs about homelessness! Check out the final video in our series. Huge thanks to our fantastic interviewees: Kim Marshall - Project Homeless Connect, Officer James Weed - Hillsboro Police Department, and Katherine Galian - Washington County Homeless Services Division).

Jes Larson promoted as Assistant Director of Housing Services!

Larson will move into her new role as of April 29, after serving as the Homeless Services Program Manager in the Department of Housing Services for the last two years.

Before joining Washington County, she was the founding director of the Welcome Home Coalition and worked at Metro as the Regional Affairs Manager and the Housing Policy Program Manager. Perhaps most importantly, was the decade Larson spent working as a case manager alongside people with severe and persistent mental illnesses and seniors experiencing homelessness.

“I am humbled and thrilled to accept this new role helping to lead our great work in housing. I have loved my time working in Washington County to build out our homeless services,” says Jes Larson. “I’m looking forward to strengthening and expanding this work, in partnership with my county and city colleagues. We have the opportunity and the responsibility to create equitable and abundant housing options for our neighbors.”

Heard the Latest News on Woodspring?

On April 14, 2023, the Housing Authority of Washington County received authorization to waive contingencies and commit to a full deposit at a special Housing Authority Board of Directors’ meeting to move forward with its intent to purchase Woodspring and preserve its affordability rates for all current residents!

For more information, check our website.

Interested in Waitlist Openings?

Keep up to date with the Washington County Department of Housing Services vouchers' waitlist openings by reading our e-newsletter. When the time comes, this where we'll notify people first. Share this link to sign up family, friends and colleagues.

A spectrum of jobs in Housing are available from entry level to upper management with a competitive benefits package and a dynamic hardworking environment. Click here to view available positions and check back as our positions list continue to be updated.

The Department of Housing Services' mission is to provide a continuum of affordable housing options that promotes community strength. The department offers rental assistance to low-income households through various federally funded programs, creates affordable housing opportunities in the community for low- and moderate-income households through a combination of creative financing and partnerships with public and private entities and administers programs to address homelessness including A Road Home: Community Plan to Prevent and End Homelessness and the Supportive Housing Services program.

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WASHINGTON COUNTY, OR | washingtoncountyor.gov/housing