Research & Innovations

From Home Forward's press release:

U.S. Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-Portland), Home Forward, Urban League of Portland and other project partners celebrated the grand opening of The Fairfield Apartments, a 75-unit permanent supportive housing (PSH) community in downtown Portland. The building, originally constructed in 1911, is a preservation project of Home Forward. Like the old building, the newly renovated property will continue to offer deeply affordable rents. Urban League of Portland will provide culturally specific services to individuals exiting chronic homelessness, with priority given to people in the Black/African American community.

"This project is a testament to the power of community partnerships in addressing homelessness," said Ivory Mathews, CEO of Home Forward. "The Fairfield not only preserves much-needed affordable housing in downtown Portland, but it also ensures that residents will have the appropriate support and services they need to thrive."

The renovation of the building, located in the historically significant LGBTQIA+ district, was made possible, in part, by a $2 million Congressional Direct Spending award secured by U.S. Sens. Ron Wyden (D-OR), Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Rep. Bonamici.

Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, who helped secure funding for the project, attended the celebration, saying, "The federal investment in The Fairfield will help address the severe housing needs of our community. We can better support residents in overcoming barriers and achieving long-term stability by providing culturally specific services. In Congress, I will continue to champion housing projects like the Fairfield.”

Fairfield Apartments features 66 single-room occupancies (SROs) and 9 studio apartments, all referred through Multnomah County’s Coordinated Entry system. The building provides on-site property management, security, and 24-hour client-centered supportive services. This ensures residents receive the support they need to remain stably housed. Residents will pay no more than 30% of their income toward rent, with rental assistance provided by HUD.

"As we continue to address homelessness issues, The Fairfield Apartments stands as a beacon of what’s possible when we invest in solutions that provide not just housing, but services that recognize the unique identities, needs and cultures of residents," said Urban League of Portland President and CEO Nkenge Harmon Johnson. "We are proud to be trusted by the public to manage these life-saving programs.”

The project also received substantial support from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS), the City of Portland, U.S. Bank and Key Bank. Construction and design was led by Walsh Construction and Peter Meijer Architect.

"Fairfield Apartments is more than just a place to live – it’s a vital resource for individuals who have faced immense challenges," said JOHS Director Dan Field "Partnerships like this are what has allowed us to house some 5,500 individuals who were previously homeless."

The City of Portland acquired The Fairfield in 2010 and transferred ownership to Home Forward in 2023 to keep the apartments affordable and complete seismic upgrades and other rehabilitation.

Helmi A. Hisserich, Director of the Portland Housing Bureau, Kanoelehua Egleston, Director of programs at JOHS, and Chelsea Bunch, Director of Equity, Diversity & Inclusion at OHCS, also spoke at the event to a crowded room of more than 100 people.

Residents will benefit from proximity to public transit, grocery stores, and other neighborhood amenities.

The ground floor of the building will feature community spaces and three commercial spaces owned and operated by Prosper Portland. The project also preserves affordable housing through the Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) conversion, ensuring long-term affordability.

From Lucas Metropolitan Housing's press release:

“Full steam ahead, Toledo.”

That was the message delivered today by Toledo Mayor Wade Kapszukiewicz during a news conference and groundbreaking ceremony with federal, state and local leaders to mark the start of construction on Collingwood Green V, a $29 million, 75-apartment community that will increase affordable housing opportunities for residents aged 62-plus in the northwest Ohio region that has prioritized the need for building more senior housing.

A currently pristine lot that was previously blighted for years on the northeast corner of Division Street and Nebraska Avenue just west of the city’s downtown, the eagerly anticipated Collingwood Green V project is touted as another major step forward in the continuing revitalization of the Junction Neighborhood, one of Toledo’s oldest enclaves.

“I’m here today to deliver a message on behalf of the Junction Neighborhood residents who are excited to welcome the kickoff of this new transformative addition to their community: Full steam ahead,” Mayor Kapszukiewicz said. “Investing in senior housing, such as Collingwood Phase V, goes beyond improving in dividual lives — it strengthens the entire Toledo community,” he said. “These types of high-quality developments attract essential services and businesses that cater to seniors, fostering a vibrant and inclusive environment where everyone can thrive together.”

The mayor was joined at the groundbreaking ceremony that attracted a standing-room-only crowd by U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio’s 9th District; Lucas County Commissioners Pete Gerken, Anita Lopez and Lisa A. Sobecki; Toledo Housing and Community Development Director Rosalyn Clemens; Lucas Metropolitan Housing (LMH) President and CEO Senghor Manns; LMH Board Chair Alisha Gant; National Church Residences Vice President of Housing Development Amy J. Rosenthal; Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio Immediate Past Board Chair Bill Harris; Erica Krause, northwest Ohio regional representative for U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio; National Affordable Housing Trust Underwriter Jarrett Jordan; and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Cleveland Field Office Director Brian Murray.

The City of Toledo and Lucas County are partnering with Lucas Metropolitan Housing, the nonprofit National Church Residences and builder Rudolph Libbe Groupto lead the project, which is supported by $3 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds from the City of Toledo for the construction, as well as roughly $3.7 million in ARPA funds allocated by the Lucas County Board of Commissioners.

The Collingwood Green V development highlights an ambitious slate of construction projects LMH has introduced that totals more than $92 million over the next two years as part of an innovative strategy to offer more affordable housing options to Lucas County families, people with disabilities and especially the elderly who are struggling to make ends meet in the face of rising rental home prices.

“The need for affordable housing is especially critical for seniors in Lucas County because our elderly population is significantly increasing and is projected to grow for the foreseeable future,” LMH’s Manns said.

“Our aim with Collingwood Green V is to promote healthy aging by offering rents that are reasonably priced to lower-income older adults and allowing them to have money left each month to pay for other life necessities,” said Manns. “Providing affordable housing can help seniors free up resources to spend on other essential needs, like health care and food.”

Collingwood Green V is the next phase of Lucas Metropolitan Housing’s heralded Collingwood Green community, a strategically planned neighborhood with abundant green space and hundreds of existing units of quality affordable housing.

The new development will consist of 75 one-bedroom units. Of the 75-unit total, 30 apartments will serve older adults at or below 50% of the area median income (AMI), or approximately $30,400. Of the remaining 45 units, 28 will be restricted to older adults at or below 70% of the AMI, and 17 will be restricted to older adults at or below 60% of the AMI. Under the Ohio Housing Finance Agency’s Income Averaging set-aside, the project can serve older adults up to 80% of the AMI, or $48,650.

Lucas County’s 60-plus population is growing fast, but the 85-plus and older demographic is increasing even more, according to the Area Office on Aging of Northwestern Ohio. Roughly 1 in 4 Toledo residents — 64,000 people, or 24% of the city’s population — is age 60 or older, U.S. census data shows. 

“Toledo is undergoing a large demographic transformation, with our senior population — especially those aged 85 and older — climbing at an unprecedented rate,” Harris said.

Said Congresswoman Kaptur: “By investing in projects like Collingwood Green V, we are ensuring that this vibrant demographic has access to safe and affordable housing that meets their evolving needs.”

Studies show safe and stable housing can reduce stress and improve physical and mental health outcomes. Research by the National Institutes of Health shows that affordable housing for seniors can lead to lower hospitalization rates and annual health care cost savings of $1,300 per person.

“To be impactful comprehensively, I wholeheartedly believe that LMH’s efforts must include creating ways that help our seniors to live and age with dignity, respect and without fear for their safety,” Gant said. “I’m confident Collingwood Green V will achieve and surpass that standard.”

The four overall previous phases of Collingwood Green development spearheaded by LMH have been 15 years in the making, and all properties combined total more than $80 million. The reinvigorated Collingwood Green neighborhood replaced the formerly blighted Brand Whitlock and Albertus Brown Homes sites.

“Collingwood Green Phase V is more than just a building; it’s a commitment to our seniors — a promise that we honor their legacy and ensure they live with dignity and respect,” said Clemens.

From the Minneapolis Public Housing Authority's website:

Today, Minneapolis Public Housing Authority (MPHA) staff joined federal, state, county, and veterans’ service leaders to announce that Hennepin County has effectively ended homelessness among veterans. The “functional zero” designation comes from the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and means that in Hennepin County, veterans’ homelessness is considered rare, brief, and non-reoccurring.

Through the years, MPHA has provided hundreds of Hennepin County veterans and their families rental assistance through HUD’s Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing Voucher (HUD-VASH). Nationwide, the number of veterans experiencing homelessness has fallen by more than 52% since 2010, in part due to the success of the HUD-VASH program. Now, in Hennepin County, the program has helped eliminate veterans homeless entirely. Key to that success is MPHA, which administers 347 HUD-VASH vouchers, more than every other jurisdiction in Hennepin County combined.

“MPHA is proud to be a partner in this incredible achievement of ending veterans’ homelessness in our community,” said Brandon Crow, MPHA’s Director of Housing Choice Vouchers. “As a HUD high-performer, MPHA is uniquely positioned to help address housing instability across many populations in Minneapolis. Whether it’s the veterans-focused VASH program, Stable Homes Stable Schools, project-based vouchers, or the traditional tenant-based vouchers, MPHA is committed to addressing our region’s affordable housing crisis using every tool available.”

Developed in 1992 and expanded in 2008, HUD-VASH creates a special Housing Choice Voucher (HCV, “Section 8” vouchers) tailored specifically to serve veterans and their families facing homelessness. The HUD-VASH program combines HCV rental assistance for homeless veteran households with case management and clinical services provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centers (VAMC) or a VA contractor or VA-designated service provider (DSP). Supportive social services include healthcare, mental health services, and employment resources and support.

In Minneapolis, MPHA maintains a partnership with the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). The Minneapolis VAMC screens homeless veterans for initial eligibility. Eligible veterans who agree to participate in case management are then referred to MPHA for a voucher where they are evaluated for income eligibility before being issued a voucher.

The HUD-VASH program offers two types of vouchers: tenant-based and project-based vouchers (PBVs), mirroring MPHA’s more traditional HCV programs. The tenant-based voucher allows participants to find their own Section 8-eligible housing in the private market, whereas the PBV remains associated with specific units within housing developments serving Section 8-eligible populations.

Once in stable housing and receiving federal rent assistance through MPHA, program participants continue receiving case management and clinical services support from the Minneapolis VAMC.

*Veterans interested in applying for HUD-VASH should connect with the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) to learn more about the program and their eligibility.