Portland Housing Bureau

05/29/2026

Earlier this month, PHB joined forces with our colleagues at the Portland Water Bureau, Portland Bureau of Environmental Services, Portland Permitting and Development and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to host the third annual "Partners in Home Repair" event, bringing together service partners to join in conversation about how to better provide home repair, weatherization, and home retention services to Portlanders.

Participants found the event to be incredibly useful, informative, and essential for community building in the local home repair industry. Hear more about their experiences: https://www.portland.gov/phb/news/2026/5/21/collaborating-better-serve-portlanders-3rd-annual-partners-home-repair-event

05/22/2026

PHB Equity and Business Operations Director Leslie Goodlow has again been honored by her peers, being named
one of America's 250 Public Service Champions by Local Gov 250 and the National Academy of Public Administration, as well as being appointed by Governor Tina Kotek to the Housing and Homelessness Committee of the State of Oregon's Racial Justice Council.

Congratulations, Leslie! It's a privilege to work alongside you.

https://www.portland.gov/phb/news/2026/5/19/leslie-goodlow-named-public-service-champion-joins-oregons-racial-justice

PHB Equity & Business Operations Manager Leslie Goodlow received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the annual "Keep Alive the Dream" Martin Luther King, Jr. Day tribute.

05/22/2026

PHB Equity and Business Operations Director Leslie Goodlow has again been honored by her peers, being named
one of America's 250 Public Service Champions by Local Gov 250 and the National Academy of Public Administration, as well as being appointed by Governor Tina Kotek to the Housing and Homelessness Committee of the State of Oregon's Racial Justice Council.

Congratulations, Leslie! It's a privilege to work alongside you.

The Portland Housing Bureau is thrilled to share the news of PHB Equity and Business Operations Director Leslie Goodlow’s recent accolades!

05/21/2026

Have you heard? 62 new affordable homes just opened in Overlook! More info below:

-----------------------

M Carter Commons is now open! Subject to the N/NE Preference Policy, this project brings 62 new affordable homes to Overlook, directly adjacent to Kaiser Permanente and Overlook Park. Made up of studios and 1-bedrooms, M Carter Commons is ideally suited for low-income seniors.

Recognizing a need for greater affordability in regulated housing, PHB invested funds to lower rent in 41 units at M Carter Commons from the 60% AMI level to the 45% AMI level, putting these homes in reach of those in need. The remaining 21 units are regulated at 30% AMI for deep affordability, thanks to 11 Project-Based Section 8 Vouchers and Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits (OAHTCs).

Developed by Urban League of Portland and Northwest Housing Alternatives, M Carter Commons is named for Margaret Louise Carter, Oregon's first Black woman state legislator. Amenities include a community room, protected courtyard, supportive services from Urban League and a MAX stop steps away. The project was designed by Salazar Architect and O'Neill Walsh Community Builders served as general contractor.

Via the N/NE Preference Policy, this project prioritizes applicants who were impacted by urban renewal in the area. Funds from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) were used to install high-efficiency HVAC systems and insulation, lowering utility costs for residents.

PHB deployed Metro Housing Bond dollars to fund M Carter Commons. The Bond will provide affordable homes for over 5000 low-income Portlanders, with 1268 units now open. Thank you to metro-area voters for supporting affordable housing!

Learn more: https://www.portland.gov/phb/construction/m-carter-commons

05/19/2026

We were thrilled to join Community Partners for Affordable Housing - CPAH, alongside elected officials Oregon Senate President Rob Wagner, Representative Daniel Nguyen, Multnomah County Commissioner Meghan Moyer, and Metro Councilor Christine Lewis last week to celebrate the groundbreaking of Jamii Court, a new project bringing 96 affordable homes to West Portland Park, including 47 family-sized units and 89 units at lower affordability levels for households in need.

Jamii Court is being supported by Metro Housing Bond dollars from PHB. Thank you to the voters for supporting transformative projects like this one!

Learn more about Jamii Court: www.portland.gov/phb/construction/jamii-court

Learn more about the Metro Bond: www.portland.gov/phb/metro-housing-bond

05/15/2026

HomeShare Oregon, a trusted local non-profit, is now a qualified provider for the City's Home Sharing Pilot Program. Interested homeowners can sign up to list a room in their home through HomeShare Oregon, who will work to vet potential tenants, facilitate a good match, and help both homeowner and tenant through the early stages of home sharing.

People seeking housing can also sign up using HomeShare Oregon. Those seeking a room might be graduate students, someone who is recently widowed, professionals who have to move to Portland for work, or other people you may know from your daily life.

Homeowners benefit from supplemental income, company at home, and the support of experienced HomeShare Oregon staff.

The City program offers a $1000 grant for the first successful 30-day rental, provided all criteria are met. Visit the city’s website to learn more.

Portland.gov/Home-Sharing

05/14/2026

Join us this evening!

Join us next Thursday, 5/14 from 6-8 pm for the quarterly meeting of the N/NE Oversight Committee, on Zoom or in person at New Song Church, 220 NE Russell St. Topics include the newly-opened Strong Empowerment Village, affordable homeownership opportunties, and more.

https://www.portland.gov/phb/nne-oversight/events/2026/5/14/n-ne-oversight-committee-meeting

05/14/2026

M Carter Commons is now open! Subject to the N/NE Preference Policy, this project brings 62 new affordable homes to Overlook, directly adjacent to Kaiser Permanente and Overlook Park. Made up of studios and 1-bedrooms, M Carter Commons is ideally suited for low-income seniors.

Recognizing a need for greater affordability in regulated housing, PHB invested funds to lower rent in 41 units at M Carter Commons from the 60% AMI level to the 45% AMI level, putting these homes in reach of those in need. The remaining 21 units are regulated at 30% AMI for deep affordability, thanks to 11 Project-Based Section 8 Vouchers and Oregon Affordable Housing Tax Credits (OAHTCs).

Developed by Urban League of Portland and Northwest Housing Alternatives, M Carter Commons is named for Margaret Louise Carter, Oregon's first Black woman state legislator. Amenities include a community room, protected courtyard, supportive services from Urban League and a MAX stop steps away. The project was designed by Salazar Architect and O'Neill Walsh Community Builders served as general contractor.

Via the N/NE Preference Policy, this project prioritizes applicants who were impacted by urban renewal in the area. Funds from the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) were used to install high-efficiency HVAC systems and insulation, lowering utility costs for residents.

PHB deployed Metro Housing Bond dollars to fund M Carter Commons. The Bond will provide affordable homes for over 5000 low-income Portlanders, with 1268 units now open. Thank you to metro-area voters for supporting affordable housing!

Learn more: https://www.portland.gov/phb/construction/m-carter-commons

05/11/2026

Quisha Light will serve as Portland Housing Bureau’s Interim Director, following news that current Interim Director Michael Buonocore will step down on May 15 to lead Home Forward.

Light, currently the Public Works Customer Service Division Manager, oversees citywide customer service strategy, service delivery systems, affordability programs, and customer experience modernization—ensuring public services are accessible, equitable, and human-centered. Light has also served as the Interim Director of the Portland Water Bureau, leading almost 600 employees, including through complex operational, cultural, and organizational transitions.

She will start as interim Housing director May 18, ensuring a smooth transition as interim Director Buonocore takes the helm at Home Forward on the same day.

"I am grateful to Quisha for her willingness to step up and lead this bureau and ensure there is no lapse in leadership as the City makes challenging budget decisions to address the ongoing housing and budgetary crises," said Deputy City Administrator for Community and Economic Development Donnie Oliveira. "She brings a customer-focused lens to the work, and when we are talking about providing housing to Portlanders, that service can be life-saving."

Visit the City’s website to learn more about the Portland Housing Bureau.

Portland.gov/PHB/News

05/08/2026

Join us next Thursday, 5/14 from 6-8 pm for the quarterly meeting of the N/NE Oversight Committee, on Zoom or in person at New Song Church, 220 NE Russell St. Topics include the newly-opened Strong Empowerment Village, affordable homeownership opportunties, and more.

https://www.portland.gov/phb/nne-oversight/events/2026/5/14/n-ne-oversight-committee-meeting