Albertina Kerr

LOCATION
Gresham, OR

TYPE
Workforce and Inclusive Affordable Housing

STATUS
Under Construction

SIZE
150 apartments
96,500 sq ft Gross

NOTABLE
Largest Net Zero Energy affordable housing project in the state and 4th largest in the country

PARTNERSHIPS
Albertina Kerr, the City of Gresham. Portland General Electric

Building a culture of inclusion

Albertina Kerr, one of the largest and oldest human services providers in the Pacific Northwest will develop, in partnership with Edlen & Company, affordable housing units that will directly impact those working in and served by the human services industry. Once complete, Kerr’s Workforce & Inclusive Housing project will include 150 affordable units with 25 studios, 94 one-bedroom, 23 two-bedroom and 8 three-bedroom apartments. In an effort to provide greater workforce stability for low-wage caregivers—Kerr employees and others, there will be 102 units affordable to households that make 60% of area median income (AMI), 11 units affordable to households that make 70% AMI and 4 units affordable to households that make 80% AMI.

Allocated within the 150 units will be 30 units affordable at 30% AMI for residents experiencing an intellectual and/or developmental disability (I/DD) and will be fully integrated into the overall building and resident population. This integration is of critical importance to Albertina Kerr to create a building-wide culture of inclusion across all ability levels. Individuals experiencing I/DD face a critical shortage of quality, affordable, accessible housing, and often earn 30% or less than the area median income. These units will offer state of the art technology creating a new platform in accessibility for residents experiencing I/DD that expands beyond the traditional ADA standards to achieve an enhanced independence and quality of life. There will also be 3 additional units that will serve as temporary or emergency housing for those experiencing crisis homelessness.

When completed in spring 2022, Kerr’s Workforce & Inclusive Housing project will be the largest net zero energy, affordable housing project in the Pacific Northwest and one of the largest net zero energy affordable housing projects in the country - ranking in the top 5 in the country for net zero energy multifamily buildings. The building features a 600kW Solar Photovoltaic system on both the roof and parking lot canopies which will allow the building to achieve Net Zero Energy.