If the former Marylhurst University campus seems quiet now, it won’t be for much longer.
On Tuesday, July 16, Mercy Housing Northwest and the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary officially celebrated the opening of Lake Oswego’s newest affordable housing community and Mercy Housing’s first in Oregon.
At the beginning of June, the first residents began to move into the 100-unit affordable housing complex.
“We could not be more honored and humbled that our first development in Oregon is in this wonderful, picturesque city of Lake Oswego,” said Mercy Housing NW President Joe Thompson in his remarks. “This day would not be possible without the vision of countless partners, supporters and neighbors. The idea that is Mercy Greenbrae was spoken into existence back in 2020 and since that day an entire community has wrapped its collective arms around this idea to help get it over the finish line.”
After Marylhurst University closed in 2018, following a steep drop in enrollment, the ownership of the campus’s 50 acres reverted to the Sisters.
“We are privileged to work with Mercy Housing, an organization whose values so closely align with ours, and to share our Marylhurst campus with the residents of the Mercy Greenbrae affordable housing community,” Sister Maureen Delaney said in the release.
Mercy Housing is a national affordable housing development that operates 343 properties with a focus on providing resident services that cover challenges from housing stability, education, community engagement and financial well-being.
“In my almost 30 years developing affordable housing and investing in community development, including over a decade leading the Denver Housing Authority and the last four years running Mercy Housing, the lack of affordable housing has never impacted as many people as it does today, from those who are unhoused to those who want to be homeowners,” said Mercy Housing President and CEO Ismael Guerrero. “We see it in a growing number of seniors and families who call us every day looking for affordable apartments to rent. When we open the doors at a new community like Greenbrae, the units lease up quickly and the wage-list grows daily.”
Mercy Greenbrae was designed to be one of the most energy-efficient housing complexes in the United States. According to Mercy Housing NW, the building is expected to use 40% less electricity than a normal design. Only 20 of Mercy Greenbrae’s units are one-bedrooms so more than three-quarters of the available units could provide housing for families.
To qualify for affordable housing, individuals cannot earn more than 60% of the area median income, which in Lake Oswego is $46,560. For a family of four, the most that the household could earn to qualify for one of the two-bedroom or three-bedroom units is $70,800.
“For the kids and families who will reside at Mercy Greenbrae, the opportunity is a life-changer. We’re excited to welcome the new residents to our community and have been proud to partner with Mercy Housing to ensure the long-term success of their development through property tax incentives and other cost savings to the project. Mercy Housing has been a tremendous partner to work with on this milestone for the Lake Oswego community,” said Lake Oswego Mayor Joe Buck in the release.
Mercy Greenbrae residents have access to resources like community rooms and a technology center, as well as education initiatives and involvement from Mercy Housing and the Housing Authority of Clackamas County. HACC supports the community by ensuring that 40 apartments are available to households who are at risk of homelessness.
Elementary school-aged kids who live at Mercy Greenbrae will attend Hallinan Elementary School once the 2024-25 school year begins.
“The Housing Authority of Clackamas County was proud to contribute $3 million to help make this development a reality. Forty of these 100 apartments are for families or people who were homeless or at risk of it. For kids, the long-lasting trauma and impacts of homelessness cannot be understated, and communities must take action to stop it,” Clackamas County Commissioner Mark Shull said in the press release.
The development was made possible through the support of the Oregon Department of Housing and Community Services, Metro, the Housing Authority of Clackamas County, the Energy Trust of Oregon and the Oregon Multifamily Energy Program.
At the end of the celebration, before tours of the new building began, sisters Maureen Delaney and Linda Patrick led the congregation of community members in a prayer and blessing for the new homes.
“Bless Mercy Greenbrae with all good gifts now and for all generations to come,” said Patrick.
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