The modular homes made from Oregon-grown mass-timber, arriving in communities this summer, may offer a speedier solution to state’s housing crisis
OTIS, Ore., June 7, 2023 — This morning in Otis, a small Lincoln County community near the Oregon coast, Barbara and Scott Benedict stood on their rural property and watched as a crane lifted a pair of large boxes off of two flatbed trucks. By early afternoon, workers had placed the two boxes, or modules, together to form the Benedicts’ new home, replacing the one destroyed in 2020 by the Echo Mountain Fire near Lincoln City.
The Benedicts’ new “Mass Casita” is one of six prototype homes developed by Hacienda CDC and built from Oregon-grown mass timber. Last month, they began arriving in Oregon communities; nearly all will be ready for their owners to occupy them later this summer.
The home deliveries are the latest chapter in the story of Mass Casitas, an innovative pilot project that is among the first of its kind in the nation. Led by Hacienda CDC, a statewide housing organization based in Portland, the project aims to demonstrate how modular housing built with mass timber could provide a more efficient, faster and less expensive way to build housing and ease Oregon’s housing shortage.
Oregon is short 140,000 housing units and needs to build more than a half-million homes over the next 20 years in order to keep up with demand. Gov. Tina Kotek has set a construction target of 36,000 units per year, an 80% increase over current production. Reaching that goal will require innovative solutions that can generate housing much faster than Oregon does now.
“Oregon urgently needs more homes, not only for families displaced by disasters like wildfires, but for our many rural and urban communities that simply don’t have enough housing,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda. “With Mass Casitas, we’re developing a process that could add many more homes throughout the state, at a faster pace than traditional construction.”
From design to delivery
Beginning in June 2022, the six prototype Mass Casitas were designed and developed at the Port of Portland’s Terminal 2. So far, three of the six prototypes have been delivered to Otis (one home) and Talent (two homes). A fourth home will be delivered to Madras in June; the remaining two homes will be installed in Portland later this summer.
At the Port, large panels of mass timber plywood were assembled into the boxes, or modules, that form the homes. After the walls were framed, crews installed mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as windows, insulation, and roof structures. The boxes were then placed onto trucks and delivered to their new communities.
On site in Otis, the two modules for the Benedicts’ home were lifted by crane off of two flatbed trucks and placed together on a concrete foundation to form one 1,136 sq. ft. structure. Over the next four to six weeks, crews will affix the two modules to the foundation, join them together, and complete a range of finishing work — such as insulating the crawl space, hooking up utilities, and completing interior doors and trim. The Benedicts will move in by late July.
Over the next year, the Mass Casitas team will work with Mass Casitas residents to monitor how the structures perform in different Oregon climates. The team will use what they learn to improve the design of Mass Casitas and inform the production process.
Potential to scale up, community partners
Hacienda’s Mass Casitas project includes the design, development, delivery and field-testing of six prototype homes. Going forward, Hacienda continues to explore how to produce Mass Casitas on a larger scale, potentially as part of a federally funded project that envisions the Port of Portland’s Terminal 2 as a new Mass Timber Innovation Hub.
In communities, Hacienda has worked with nonprofit partners to help identify and/or select the families who will live in the Mass Casitas. The six homes (which range in size from studios to 3-bedroom models) have been or will be delivered to these four communities:
1 home arrived today in Otis (Lincoln County); partner is Cascade Relief Team
2 homes are on site in Talent (Jackson County); partner is Casa of Oregon
1 home is going to Madras (Jefferson County); partner is Casa of Oregon
2 homes are going to Portland (Multnomah County); partner is Community Vision
During the December 2021 special session, the Oregon Legislature allocated $5 million for Mass Casitas to the Port of Portland, which has provided the warehouse space and fund management and partnered with Hacienda, the housing organization leading the project. Other key team members are: Salazar Architect Inc. (design), Walsh Construction Co. (general contractor), and Freres Engineered Wood (mass timber supplier/expert).
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Hacienda CDC is excited to announce that it was selected by Portland General Electric’s 2022 Drive Change Fund to receive funding for two electric vehicles to support ongoing programming and vechicle access to community members. The PGE DCF is funded via the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Fuels Program. Funded by the sale of Oregon CFP credits, which PGE aggregates on behalf of residential customers who charge their electric vehicles at home, the fund supports projects aimed at expanding electric mobility options and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The DCF prioritizes projects focused on serving vulnerable populations and underserved communities.
“Portland General Electric is excited to support our partners in expanding cleaner transportation systems across the state,” said Maria Pope, president and CEO of PGE. “Transportation electrification plays an essential role in accelerating the clean energy transition. It is going to take all of us working together to achieve a cleaner and more equitable future for all Oregonians.”
Transportation is the single biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Oregon and a major source of other air pollutants. Hacienda CDC is excited to partner with PGE to accelerate the conversion to electric transportation through this investment in our mission and community.
In addition to the positive impacts on our environment and communities, EVs are a better consumer choice
Cleaner air. EVs have zero tailpipe emissions and reduce carbon monoxide emissions, nitrogen oxide emissions and other toxic compounds
Safety and comfort. EVs are quiet, reducing noise pollution in our communities
Cost of ownership. Less maintenance—no more oil changes or trips to the gas station! And the price of electricity is regulated unlike gasoline
About Portland General Electric
Portland General Electric (NYSE: POR) is a fully integrated energy company based in Portland, Oregon, with operations across the state. The company serves approximately 900,000 customers with a service area population of 2 million Oregonians in 51 cities. PGE owns 16 generation plants across Oregon and other Northwestern states and maintains and operates 14 public parks and recreation areas. For over 130 years, PGE has delivered safe, affordable and reliable energy to Oregonians. Together with its customers, PGE has the No. 1 voluntary renewable energy program in the U.S. PGE and its 3,000 employees are working with customers to build a clean energy future. In 2020, PGE, employees, retirees and the PGE Foundation donated $5.6 million and volunteered 18,200 hours with more than 400 nonprofits across Oregon. For more information visit portlandgeneral.com/news. -30-
Hacienda CDC is proud to announce the rename of its early childhood education program, Portland Niños, to Sembrando Semillitas (sem-BRAN-do Se-mee-YEE-tas).
Hacienda CDC is proud to announce the rename of its early childhood education program, Portland Niños, to Sembrando Semillitas (sem-BRAN-do Se-mee-YEE-tas), meaning sowing little seeds in Spanish. This new name reflects the program's mission to cultivate the growth of parents and their children by planting the seeds of knowledge and nurturing their development.
At Hacienda CDC, we are dedicated to providing affordable housing, economic development, and educational opportunities to our communities. Our focus on education is driven by our belief that high-quality resources and educational opportunities set our community members on a path to success.
The Sembrando Semillitas program, formerly Portland Niños was established in 2005, and has been a cornerstone of Hacienda’s education initiatives, providing bilingual, culturally responsive early childhood education throughout Multnomah County to parents and their children ages 0-5.
“Our early education support and programming is a fundamental part of our work in the county and has supported families and their children for nearly two decades.”" Says, Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC. “We are so proud of the work that this team does every day and look forward to seeing them deepen their impact in their new permanent programming space.”
Through home visits, play-based learning, and intentional instruction to both parents and children, our staff are a pillar of support for families and help children develop the skills they need to thrive in their early years and beyond. Our bilingual, bicultural approach ensures that all families, regardless of their background or language, feel valued and supported.
Thanks to the incredible community support, Sembrando Semillitas program will be housed in its first-ever permanent location in Hacienda’s Las Adelitas. The new space, called Las Abejitas, which means "the little bees," is a play on the Las Adelitas name and is inspired by bees as the pollinators contributing to plant’s growth and development who collaborate to create a strong community together. We hope that this new space will inspire parents and their children to explore, learn, and grow together.
We are thrilled to continue our early education work as Sembrando Semillitas!
Hacienda CDC is proud to have been selected by the City of Hillsboro to develop “Dolores”, an affordable housing project built for and inspired by community
HILLSBORO, OR, March 22, 2023— Hacienda Community Development Corporation (CDC) is thrilled to announce that last night, Hillsboro City Council approved our proposal for the “Dolores” affordable housing development in response to the Walker Road Affordable Housing Request for Proposals (RFP). Hacienda’s proposal was selected after a competitive process that began in late September 2022 and attracted affordable housing developers in the region.
“We appreciate the opportunity to partner with the City of Hillsboro to deliver much needed affordable housing,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC. Hacienda is deeply grateful for the City's commitment to housing and their investment which includes up to $10.5 million in Metro Affordable Housing Bond funds and land on Walker Road pending additional City and Metro project approvals. Dolores will be sited on two parcels in the Tanasbourne area and will include 67 new affordable homes in a 3-story, elevator-served, community-inspired building with 74 off-street parking spaces.
The new affordable housing community, designed by Access Architecture, will be built by LMC Construction and is inspired by the area’s cultural diversity and the site’s history as a hazelnut tree orchard. The design aims to enhance resident well-being, accessibility, and connectivity with a courtyard, play area, greenspace, covered outdoor gathering space, offices for on-site resident services, and an Earth Advantage GOLD rating.
Named after Latina agricultural labor rights advocate Dolores Huerta, “Dolores” includes 67 affordable rental apartments, including 20 one-bedroom, 17 two-bedroom, 26 three-bedroom, and 3 four-bedroom units, all designated for community members earning 60% of the Area Median Income (AMI) and below. Of these 67 apartments, ten will be Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) to serve individuals and families exiting homelessness. Almost half of the apartments will be affordable to very low-income households, those earning up to 30% Area Median Income. New Narrative will partner with Hacienda to provide wrap-around services for individuals and families served by permanent supportive housing.
“I’m very proud of the work that has been done,” said Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway following the City Council vote for the project. “This new development will provide people homes, provide people roots, provide people a strong future, and create a stronger community.”
Hacienda CDC, a community-based organization that provides affordable housing and holistic community programming and services, will be the project’s developer and owner, and provide on-site resident services. Hacienda has 11 affordable housing communities in the region, including the recently opened Las Adelitas in NE Portland. This is Hacienda’s first affordable housing development in Washington County.
Along with Metro Affordable Housing Bond funds reserved for this project other sources of funding will include Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) equity, permanent debt with Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits (OAHTC) interest rate subsidy, and deferred developer fees.
We are grateful for the opportunity to develop affordable housing in Hillsboro, and we look forward to this opportunity to partner with the City of Hillsboro, Metro and Washington County to deliver quality affordable housing, culturally responsive resident services, and robust community building opportunities.
Hacienda CDC is proud to announce the grand opening celebration of Las Adelitas, a new community in the heart of Portland’s Cully neighborhood. The community was brought to life on the site of a once-neglected piece of land has now blossomed into a community designed for families and individuals looking for safe and affordable homes. Built with community in mind, Las Adelitas is now a place where residents can thrive and grow and access additional support through Hacienda’s holistic programming and services.
Attendees at the Grand Opening celebration were able to witness firsthand how Hacienda CDC’s commitment to creating affordable and accessible housing for families and individuals has most recently transformed the Sugar Shack into Las Adelitas, a community named after Female Mexican Revolutionaries, which aims to prioritizes the well-being of its residents and provides a platform for growth and opportunity.
The program started at 11:00 AM on Thursday, March 9th, with opening remarks by Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC, who shared his vision for the project and spoke about Hacienda’s mission to support its existing and growing community. Also in attendance were Governor Tina Kotek, Director Andrea Bell of Oregon Housing and Community Services, Commissioner Carmen Rubio of Multnomah County, Councilor Mary Nolan of Oregon Metro, Bryan Guiney of United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, Molly Rogers of the Portland Housing Bureau, Cat Vielma of Red Stone Equity, Alex Salazar of Salazar Architect, Jaclyn Sarna of Hacienda CDC, and Vanesa Mendoza, a long-time Cully community member and Hacienda CDC staff.
“We are thrilled to celebrate the grand opening of Las Adelitas and to see this community come to life,” said Ernesto Fonseca, CEO of Hacienda CDC. “Our commitment to creating affordable and accessible housing for families and individuals has transformed the Sugar Shack into a community that prioritizes the well-being of its residents and provides a place for stability, growth, and opportunity. People thought it couldn’t be done, but here we are in the heart of this beautiful space celebrating together.
“When we all work together and we’re bold, and tenacious, we get stuff done… This is a community triumph. This project, this community, this home is going to transform this community… and it wasn’t easy but should be easier for communities to put resources together to get people homes in a place like this.” says Governor Tina Kotek
“We talk about change and today we are actualizing turning a vision into a force of action. And for me, from my seat, that is what hope looks like, that is what optimism looks like… This is not about numbers or abstracts, but how people are doing. How are the people we serve? And what we are seeing today is the manifestation of that course of action,” says Director Andrea Bell, Oregon Housing and Community Services.
The grand opening celebration concluded with a ribbon-cutting ceremony, tours of the community, a dance performance by Peru Baila Asi, and musical performance by Freddy Vilches.
Ernesto Fonseca, speakers from the grand opening event, and a resident from Las Adelitas are available for interviews by request.
For more information about Las Adelitas, visit lasadelitas.org
We are proud to announce Chalise Fiol has been named a 2023 NACLAB Pete Garcia Community Economic Development Fellow!
The Pete Garcia Community Economic Development Fellowship is a year-long leadership training program for Latino leaders from around the country. This year, 18 professionals were selected for this prestigious program that aims to cultivate future Latino leaders.
Established in 2010, the Fellowship was developed to ensure that the next generation of Latinx leaders build practical, personal and professional skills needed to fill the increasing leadership gap in the community development field. It provides mid-career Latinx practitioners with specialized professional development training, preparing them to become strong executive director candidates at non-profits that serve Latino communities.
Chalise currently serves as Hacienda's Economic Opportunity Program Manager. Over the course of 11 years, Chalise has served communities and staff alike, sharing her expertise and dedication to creating economic opportunities for everyone. We celebrate this outstanding accomplishment. We appreciate Chalise’s dedication, passion and leadership and are grateful for her impact in our organization and community!
This year’s title program sponsor is the JPMorgan Chase Foundation with additional support from Capital One.
About NALCAB
The National Association for Latino Community Asset Builders (NALCAB) is the hub of a national network of 200 member organizations that are anchor institutions in geographically and ethnically diverse Latino communities in 45 states, Washington DC and Puerto Rico. NALCAB supports its member institutions through funding, training, research and advocacy, enabling them to invest in their communities by building affordable housing, ensuring equitable neighborhood development, supporting small business growth, and providing financial counseling on issues including credit building and homeownership. As a grantmaker and US Treasury certified CDFI lender with offices in San Antonio and Washington DC, the NALCAB Network serves hundreds of thousands of low- and moderate-income people, advancing economic equity and inclusivity in the communities we serve.
