Sabin Community Development Corporation (CDC) recently hosted an engaging roundtable at its Center of Joy in Northeast Portland to highlight recent work with Portland State University (PSU) and other housing efforts.
Graduate students from PSU’s Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) Program kicked off the gathering with a presentation of their feasibility study, analyzing 13 Sabin-owned properties to identify opportunities for more housing capacity across underdeveloped existing sites.
PSU graduate students present findings
For more than 30 years, Sabin CDC has been committed to creating long-term affordable rental and homeownership options. The nonprofit’s primary focus has been supporting African American and Afro-Indigenous households adversely affected by gentrification and inequalities. In 2024, with support from a Kuni Foundation $97,500 Transformation Grant, Sabin expanded its work providing quality housing for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) through its Residential Infill Initiative.
This initiative includes building accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on existing Sabin properties, creating more independent, inclusive housing options for people with IDD. Shared learnings and successes also offer a scalable model for other communities to use throughout the region to address the ongoing housing crisis with a focus on inclusion.
Sabin’s Harvey Rice Heritage Project
The effort builds on Sabin’s Harvey Rice Heritage Project, a 41-unit affordable housing development done in partnership with Community Vision. The project included five fully accessible units for people with IDD that were developed using universal design principles. In 2022, the Kuni Foundation proudly supported this effort with a $50,000 Imagination Grant to fund assistive technology and other accessibility upgrades to support more inclusive, independent living.
Sabin’s “Stone Soup” approach to housing development brings a wide array of community partners together collaboratively expand housing options for low income and disabled residents. Following the PSU presentation, Sabin and its partners—Community Vision, Waechter Architecture, and the City of Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability—all shared their collaborative project updates, demonstrating the intersectionality and opportunities with inclusive, affordable housing. The event concluded with breakout discussions on universal design, sustainable building materials, and innovative funding solutions.
Community Vision co-founder and former executive director
Many thanks to Sabin and the diverse community partners for such an inspiring community conversation. We’re proud to support this visionary, community-led work to expand and celebrate inclusive, affordable housing.
