Nick Bjork//May 21, 2010//
Proud Ground, a Portland-area land trust, announced earlier this week that the non-profit organization has received a $120,000 grant for its Svaboda Court affordable housing development in Portland’s Lents neighborhood.
The grant is from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The grant came from HUD’s Self-help Homeownership Opportunity Program and will be used to help make down payments on each of the eight to 12 homes that will be in Svaboda Court.
The grant came in conjunction with a $100,000 low-interest loan from the Religious Communities Investment Fund. The loan will be used to reduce project costs and replace a higher-interest acquisition loan.
The Svaboda Court development project will consist of eight to 12 duplex-style townhomes in the Lents Urban Renewal Area with price points from $130,000 to $155,000. Proud Ground is tracking LEED Platinum certification on the project.
Jesse Beason, executive director of Proud Ground, said the affordable housing project is permitted and ready to go. Construction will start once Proud Ground can secure all of the construction financing, he said.
In addition to the newly acquired funding, Proud Ground has received $675,000 from the Portland Development Commission to help lower the purchase price for each home. The organization has also received $185,000 in low-interest loans for the project from various organizations.