91ÊÓƵ

Project name: Francis + Clare Place

Location: Portland

Completion: September 2024

Size: 35,844 square feet

Owner/Developer: Catholic Charities

Architect: Holst Architecture

Engineers: Valar Consulting Engineering, Vega Civil Engineering, O’Neill Construction Group

General Contractor: O’Neill Walsh Community Builders

Submitting Company: Walsh Construction

Other Key Associates: Caritas Housing/Catholic Charities of Oregon, Cascadia Health, Edlen & Co., Guardian Property Management, Home Forward, Joint Office of Homeless Services, Native American Rehabilitation Association, Portland Clean Energy Fund, Portland Housing Bureau, St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church

Subcontractors: Academy Specialties, Ambrose Glass, American Heating, Andres Landscape, Asbestos Abatement Contracting, Axiom Roofing Oregon, Bridgeport Interiors, Brothers Construction, Brown’s Architectural Sheetmetal, Bryker Enterprises, Builders Appliance Supply, Burgener’s Woodworking, Central City Concern, Christenson Electric, Civic Construction, Compaction and Recycling Equipment, Contemporary Visions Signs & Wayfinding, Elemental Energy, Grant Painting, Hillebrand Construction, Interior Technology, Kodiak Pacific Construction, Kone, Lanz Cabinet Shop, Lauzon Contracting, Mid-Valley Glass & Millwork, MLS Interiors, Northstar CG, Northwest Millwork, O’Neill Construction Group, PARCA Floors, Pioneer Waterproofing, Precision Countertops, RDF Builders, Tikka Masonry, Triad Fire Protection, Ultra Quiet Floors, Vale Insulation Group, VPI Quality Windows, Zion Metal Work,

Francis + Clare Place, a new 61-unit supportive housing development in Portland’s Central Eastside, is working to redefine the transition out of homelessness by combining stable housing with extensive wraparound services.

The development provides permanent homes for adults with complex physical and behavioral health challenges, featuring 54 studios and seven one-bedroom apartments. All units receive rent subsidies through Project-Based Section 8 vouchers.

Francis + Clare Place serves households who may face challenges finding and maintaining stable housing in the private rental market. The project aims to help residents settle into a stable and comfortable home they can call their own. What distinguishes the development is its comprehensive approach to ending homelessness. The ground floor houses offices for supportive services and property management, along with a food pantry, bike room and community room that serves as a gathering space with a communal kitchen.

Catholic Charities partnered with Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA), which specializes in culturally-specific recovery services, and Cascadia Health, which focuses on behavioral health. Together, the organizations provide case management, housing stabilization and peer support.

The new building goes beyond giving people a room. Residents have direct access to case managers who provide one-on-one support and connect them to outside resources. Through donations from local organizations and funding from the Joint Office of Homeless Services, Catholic Charities provides residents access to healthy food, clothing, household supplies, hygiene products and other necessities.

Community activities are central to the project’s mission. The communal area hosts daily events including morning coffee gatherings, bingo, movie nights, open mics, arts and crafts, and potluck dinners.

The building’s design incorporates trauma-informed elements featuring ample light, clear wayfinding, soothing colors and connections to nature. All residents are referred through Multnomah County’s Coordinated Access system.

Catholic Charities used Portland Clean Energy Fund dollars to install heat pumps and a photovoltaic solar array to ensure energy efficiency and eliminate electrical billing for residents. Each unit includes air conditioning.

The L-shaped building maximizes units on the tight site, which was purchased from St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. The project complements the adjacent public courtyard and St. Francis Park Apartments, also developed by Catholic Charities.

To enhance on-site safety and improve operational efficiency on the jobsite, Walsh Construction developed a proprietary AI-powered chatbot app specifically for the construction field. This tool offered instant, real-time answers to safety-related questions.