NOWIA Unete and Commonwealth Development Corporation have announced that this week, residents have started moving into Renaissance Flats, a new affordable housing development in Talent. This 72-unit affordable housing community is a significant step in providing housing for families and individuals affected by the 2020 Almeda Fire.
Kathy Keesee, programs director at NOWIA Unete, stated, “The Almeda fire had a devastating and disproportionate negative impact on immigrant families, so our work until this point was focused on doing outreach for people who were displaced by the fire to help them with the application process. This week, we saw the fruits of our labor as many families who were not likely to apply are moving in.”
Commonwealth Development Corporation, the developer of Renaissance Flats, is collaborating with ACCESS and NOWIA Unete, a Medford-based nonprofit, to eliminate barriers for access to affordable housing for the Rogue Valley Latino community in a culturally responsive manner. Daniel DiFrancesco, vice president of development at Commonwealth Development Corporation, mentioned, “The cities of Talent, Phoenix, Ashland, and Medford are still recovering from the damage and loss of over 2,500 housing units, so it’s an honor for us to bring these 72 units back into the Talent community.”
Renaissance Flats is one of more than a dozen new affordable housing developments in wildfire-affected areas that received funding from Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS). The state housing finance agency has prioritized these impacted communities when selecting developments for funding from multiple pre-existing housing development programs, including the Local Innovation and Fast Track (LIFT) Homeownership Program and Federal Disaster Housing Tax Credits.
OHCS Director Andrea Bell stated, “In total, 975 new homes, both for rent and purchase, will be built in fire-impacted counties and will prioritize fire survivors. This is a testament to the resiliency, commitment to resolve, and state and local partnership to rebuild after the fires. This is about centering community voice and community solutions. We are fortunate that we can come together and do the things that maybe a lot of folks think we can’t do.”
The majority of the OHCS-funded affordable housing developments will open their doors to tenants next year and provide much-needed housing in Jackson, Lane, Marion, and Lincoln counties. Commonwealth Development Corporation is planning a grand opening celebration for Renaissance Flats on November 29, marking an important milestone in providing affordable housing to those affected by the devastating fires.
Source: OHA
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