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Housing affordability is a major challenge for many Clackamas County residents, including low-income workers, families, and retirees. But there is hope on the horizon in the form of Las Flores, a new housing community in Oregon City. The complex will offer 171 affordable apartments, with 43 dedicated to agricultural workers and 9 for households exiting homelessness.
A solution for our economy
The need for farmworker and workforce housing is dire in Oregon, as the state’s agricultural workers often earn just half the income needed to afford a two–bedroom apartment. Our farmworkers meet our most basic need for food, and farmworkers and other laborers and service workers and their families are vital to our region’s growth and economic success. We’ve found that providing good, affordable housing is solving the labor shortage for farms, which positively impacts the region’s prices and food supply.
“Oregon City is an agricultural community. Being thankful for the work these farmworkers do is super significant to our mission.” - Ernesto Fonseca, Chief Executive Officer, Hacienda Community Development Corporation
A solution for families
75% of the apartments at Las Flores have two, three or four bedrooms, making it a perfect solution for families looking for a stable home. When children have adequate and safe housing, they do better in school and are better able to reach their potential. A public park, picnic and play areas, and gardens will be included, along with community computers and a library. The name Las Flores, meaning the flowers in Spanish, speaks to Oregon's natural landscapes and the promise that the community will be a place where residents will bloom and flourish. This project is a collaboration between Community Development Partners and Hacienda Community Development Corporation. The Housing Authority of Clackamas County is administering $15.9 million in regional affordable housing bond funds, among other funding sources. The first of seven buildings will complete construction this June, while the final building will be completed by February 2024.
View Las Flores’s video and interview with our County Commissioner Martha Schrader.