Groundbreaking is October 15,th 2021 and new residents will be welcome to their homes during summer 2022.
North Portland, the area of Portland Black households were redlined into through the 1970s, has become one of Portland’s most vibrant areas, attracting new homebuyers and some of the region’s hottest restaurants and bars. This influx of investments that came when the Black population became dilute forced countless long-time—and mostly African American—residents out of what was once the hub of the Black community. Coupled with discriminatory practices and the aftermath of urban renewal, many of these individuals have struggled with housing instability and homelessness. Over the past two years, North Portland has seen a 122.5% overall increase in those experiencing homelessness in this area of the city.
The Urban League is proud to announce, in partnership with Home Forward, we are developing a four-story, 34,000-square-foot building that will feature an array of services to help the regions historic Black residents regain purpose and dignity living in an area they may once have called home. An on-site team will include a resident services coordinator, case managers and peer support specialists. We are breaking ground on the Hattie Redmond Apartments, a 60 unit permanent supportive housing complex, building on the success of success of our Project HAVEN permanent supportive housing program. We will integrate trauma-informed, culturally specific, and client-centered input into the building design along with ongoing services and programming.
Harriet "Hattie" Redmond (1862-1952)
Hattie Redmond Apartments are named in honor of one of Oregon's leading Black Suffragists. Harriet “Hattie” Redmon's perseverance and countless hours organizing and speaking at community meetings, during a time when Black people in Oregon were mostly unrecognized as legal residents, ensured that women’s voting rights, including Black women’s voting rights, were won. After six ballot initiatives, beginning in 1884, her decades of advocacy were finally achieved in 1912 when Oregon men finally approved a woman’s right to vote. Hattie Redmond took her first opportunity to register to vote in April 1913 and continued to be active in community life until her death in 1952 at the age of 90.
The employees at Urban League took a moment to share our hopes and dreams for the future of this project and what it means to our community.
“Hattie’s place will symbolize forward movement towards Black liberation in Portland’s community. Until the devastation of gentrification, the location was one that previously was a safe home and community for Black Portland. There is no better feeling than being a part of the work that will build a better future for our community.”
“This project represents how a simple dream and can-do attitude sustains us to fight for what is owed to our people.”
“Our hope is that members of our community find a home in this building and use it as a catalyst for a better life holistically. This includes improvement to health and finance.”
