The new North Portland

Driving around North Portland you may have noticed new housing popping up, or even heard rumors about expanding the local parks. It's all thanks to the $35 million New Columbia HOPE VI Project, which was awarded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to The Housing Authority of Portland (HAP). The HOPE VI grant sparked investor interest in making old North Portland new again.

New Columbia is a $150 million project that blends public and private investment to replace the aging, isolated Columbia Villa public housing in North Portland with a new mixed-income neighborhood that has a range of housing types. The New Columbia project spans five years, with construction starting by the end of 2003. The community investment, which leverages public and private dollars, involves replacing all of the existing streets, utilities and buildings. In their place will be a mixed -income community that is reconnected to the surrounding neighborhood and offers public housing and a range of rental and home ownership opportunities affordable at different income levels. In addition, the new community will provide services for residents and the broader community that are designed to promote self-sufficiency and link people to educational and recreational resources.

For more information about New Columbia, contact the Housing Authority of Portland at 503-802-8427 or visit the HOPE VI website at: http://www.hapdx.org/newcolumbia

From the Department of Planning & Development, Portland Parks & Recreation
http://www.portlandparks.org/Planning/newcolumbia.htm