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An affordable housing community in the Portsmouth neighborhood of North Portland is gaining a fresh start 鈥� from the ground up.

Tistilal Village, a 34-unit apartment complex at 7633 N. Hereford Ave., is being demolished to accommodate construction of a 58-unit (including a manager鈥檚 unit) building with resident services for Native American families. The three-story, 63,000-square-foot building will be located at the same site.

A ceremony to bless the ground took place late last month. Construction began in March and is estimated to finish in late summer 2024.

The project team includes owner and developer Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA), Carleton Hart Architecture, Colas Construction, and service provider Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA).

It feels like a landmark project, said Emily Schelling, housing development program manager for NAYA, because it鈥檚 being led by a Native-led organization and built by Black-owned Colas Construction.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been looking for opportunities to work with them,鈥� Schelling said, adding that it has been a wonderful experience.

Tistilal Village was built in the 1970s. In 2008, the city of Portland and housing provider Low Income Housing for Native Americans of Portland Oregon (LIHNAPO) transferred ownership to NAYA to keep Tistilal Village with a Native-led organization.

This is NAYA鈥檚 first large project as lead developer, Schelling said. In the past, the organization always partnered with a for-profit entity.

鈥淣AYA went through an in-depth analysis of the site that included not just the physical and financial piece, but we were looking at mission and what our larger goals were,鈥� she said.

NAYA determined the best course of action was to demolish the existing complex and rebuild.

The new building will have seven studios, 19 one-bedroom units, 21 two-bedroom units, and 11 three-bedroom units. A total of 24 units will be for people earning no more than 30 percent of area median income and 33 units will be for people earning no more than 60 percent of AMI. Sixteen will be permanent supportive housing units.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a lot of amenities,鈥� Schelling said.

The building will feature sizable common spaces, several smaller rooms for meetings, laundry facilities on each floor, and outdoor space with native plantings and a play area.

Units are designed for family living with durable materials and finishes, two elevators, high-efficiency air-conditioning units in common areas, ample sound buffering, a soothing color palette, and more.

In addition to the plantings and play area, the outdoor space will include a plaza, seating, and community gardens. Interior communal areas and supportive service offices will offer a trauma-informed, community-focused setting.

NAYA will provide all resident services. NARA will provide in-depth case management for the residents in the supportive housing units and others who qualify.

The total project cost is $36.7 million, which includes acquisition, system development charges and assumption of the prior Portland Housing Bureau loan. Significant funding sources include 9 percent Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, Federal Housing Trust Fund dollars from Oregon Housing and Community Services, and Metro affordable housing bond money through the Portland Housing Bureau.

NAYA began communicating with existing Tistilal Village residents 18 months before they had to move out, Schelling said. More than half of those households are planning to move into the new building when it鈥檚 ready. A waiting list for other units has not been established yet; outreach will begin in spring 2024.