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A Portland-based market rate developer has voluntarily included affordable housing in a development project, while also awarding 27 percent of its total development construction costs to Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs).

Ninebark, a 246-unit residential community in Washougal, Washington, developed by Killian Pacific, was completed in August.

With the Ninebark project, designed by Holst Architecture, Killian Pacific chose to include affordable housing. Killian Pacific also has an inclusive contracting goal of聽at least 25 percent for total development construction costs on all developments.

At Ninebark, with its first-of a-kind Income Restricted Housing Program (VIRHP) in the region, Killian Pacific selected 10 percent of the apartments 鈥� a total of 24 units 鈥� as affordable, making them available to households that make 80 percent or less than the area’s median family income. The program makes sure monthly housing expenses will not exceed more than 30 percent of residents’ monthly income and follows the same certification process as the Vancouver Housing Authority to ensure units are offered to those who need it the most.

鈥淗aving an adequate supply of affordable housing has always been a problem for any city, and it’s only getting more difficult. Affordable housing is typically only supplied by developers who are incentivized to build it, or by housing authorities,鈥� stated Mitch Kneipp, the city of Washougal’s community development director.

Kneipp stated that while the developers for Ninebark did receive a tax credit through the Multi-Family Housing Tax Exemption (MFTE) program, it had nothing to do with affordable housing, and Killian Pacific voluntarily provided it.

Michi Slick, Killian Pacific’s principal of development, stated in an email that the firm is committed to addressing housing affordability, uplifting under-resourced MWBEs and incorporating other inclusive practices into its future projects.

Killian Pacific’s decision to create the Voluntary Income Restricted Housing program at Ninebark came from a recognition of the challenges the region faces in terms of housing affordability, Slick stated. While not affordable housing developers, the firm saw an opportunity to make a meaningful contribution within its area of influence.

鈥淓very project looks different, but it is our aim to give the same level of attention to innovations that net a positive impact on the communities we serve,鈥� Slick stated.

At Killian Pacific, the firm is working toward a portfolio-wide goal of dedicating 10 percent of its units to voluntary income restriction in all its projects. The firm is exploring solutions to meet this target.

In addition to the affordability component, Killian Pacific awarded 27 percent of its total development construction costs for Ninebark 鈥� over $12.6 million 鈥� to MWBEs. Plus, 52 percent of all journeymen and apprenticeship hours were done by individuals who identify as women and/or a minority.

This is the second project Killian Pacific has partnered with the National Association of Minority Contractors (NAMC)聽to meet the firm’s inclusive contracting goal of at least 25 percent total development construction costs on all developments. Also, inclusive job site culture training was provided quarterly for the general contractor and subcontractor teams during Ninebark’s聽construction.

Nate McCoy, president and CEO at NAMC-Oregon, said the organization took its time with Killian Pacific being a new member, as the developer joined a little over two years ago.

鈥淗aving a chance to meet (Michi Slick), having a chance to sit down and really get to know each other, it was very clear that we had a lot of short-term and long-term visions that were aligned,鈥� McCoy said. 鈥淢eeting the rest of the team made it clear that this was transcendent throughout the organization.鈥�

This is the second project NAMC-Oregon has partnered with Killian Pacific. The first was Volta, which was completed last year. On both projects, NAMC acted as an owner’s representative for Killian Pacific and helped Killian Pacific strengthen its diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) training and efforts to make sure the team has an inclusive environment on the job sites. NAMC had DEI trainers come to the job site, talking with workers to make sure there were not any incidents that need to be addressed. There were no incidents reported for the Volta and Ninebark projects, McCoy said.

鈥淚 went through the DEI training with Killian Pacific,鈥� said Raliegh Morrison, journeyman carpenter for Turner Construction for the Volta project. 鈥淐oming onto the Volta site, it was refreshing to know that this DEI program 鈥� it gave me freedom to know that I wouldn’t be subjected to any racism, and I can report it, and something will be done about it, whereas before nothing was done about it.鈥�

The general contractor on the Ninebark project was Robert & Olson Construction. McCoy said the contractor embraced the DEI training and initiatives that were put forward for the project.

Slick said inclusive contracting has become a standard practice at Killian Pacific. The firm is currently implementing its third iteration of inclusive contracting in a Bend project called The Jackstraw and plans to continue it with other projects, while partnering with NAMC-Oregon.

McCoy said while this inclusive contracting goal is not widespread through development projects, he sees it becoming that way.

鈥淲e do have some other key partners we’re working with to start doing the same kind of work we’re doing with Killian,鈥� McCoy said.

NAMC is in talks with real estate firms CBRE, Pacific NW Properties and Melvin Mark, who is looking to develop Broadway Corridor.