Madras has 1,032 housing units in the works

The need for more housing in Madras has rarely been higher than it is now, with yearly population growing at a rate of .5%, and neighboring counties seeing population growth rates between .72%, Crook County, and 1.25% annually in Deschutes County.

The city of Madras identified a need for more housing and outlines specific goals to not only create more housing, but more middle and low-income housing as well.

“We’re seeing construction levels similar to what we saw in ’06, ’07, but the difference here is the variety of housing. We’re seeing developers build different kinds of housing, and that’s largely thanks to changes in the city codes that make more multi-family housing possible,” said Madras Community Development Director Nick Snead.

The city of Madras is currently working on revamping their housing action plan, which was created in 2018. At that time, the plan projected the city would need 35 additional housing units a year to meet the need of the growing community.

“That number, however, was missing one key part, the deficit we already had in housing need,” said Snead. The plan identified in 2018 a deficit of over 800 housing units in the city. It identified goals to produce housing in the next five years. They hoped to produce 40 units of low-income housing, 75 units of middle-income or workforce housing, and 50 units of higher-income housing.

Currently, the city of Madras has 1,032 housing units in the planning, pre-construction, or construction phase. Building permit reports within the city show that by April they’d reached 53% of their goal for middle-income housing, and 400% of their goal for high-income housing.

While developers from across the region are planning projects in Madras, Snead says he wants to be mindful of combining growth with the needed infrastructure within the city.

“Each new development also means more impact on the sewer system, the water system, parks and more,” said Snead. “We’re trying to be mindful of building up that infrastructure and having the developers think about that. We want good, healthy neighborhoods, where there are places for outdoor recreation and activities for kids and families nearby.”

The biggest need Snead sees is workforce housing, meaning housing for workers that are between 60% and 120% of the area median income, which for Jefferson County would mean a household income between $46,920 and $93,840 a year.

“We see the need in our biggest employers. They cannot find the skilled laborers, the nurses, the teachers, the cashiers they need to fill their jobs,” said Snead. Without affordable and available housing, attracting workers to the area is difficult. We see places consider automating jobs or moving and consolidating. We want to attract more industry here, but we can’t do that unless we have housing for the workers needed.”

Snead also sees a need for supportive housing, housing projects that are low-cost, low-barrier, and offer support services for people that have been unhoused, in abusive relationships, have suffered from addiction, or otherwise need support in obtaining and remaining in housing.

“We are seeing people say that housing and homelessness go hand in hand. If we want to prevent the population here growing, we have to make housing accessible,” said Snead.

In Development

In Madras, there are currently 18 subdivisions or developments in the planning, pre-construction, and construction phases. They’re made up of 453 housing units in planning, 121 units in the construction review phase, and 458 units currently in construction. Below is a brief description of the 18 projects across the city. They can all be found HERE .

In Construction

Willowbrook

The Willowbrook subdivision is located on the north end of Madras, near the golf course and airport. The subdivision, built by MonteVista Homes, is in its final stages of building. The final 42 homes to the 153-lot subdivision have been platted, and construction has begun.

The homes in the subdivision are three- to four-bedroom homes, ranging from 1,468 to 2,500 square feet. The subdivision offers specific floor plans for buyers to choose. Most of the homes have already been purchased. It was approved in 2020, and construction on all the lots is almost complete.

Sagebrook

The Sagebrook subdivision is a 188-lot development that will be located south of Loucks Road and north of the Morning Crest neighborhood in northeast Madras.

The development will have 148 single-family homes and 40 townhouses when complete. The developer, Woodhill Homes, will also dedicate a 1-acre park to the city.

The development is to be built in four phases, with construction on the first phase happening now, and some homes already completed.

The Heights at Yarrow

The second phase of the apartment and townhouse development in the Yarrow neighborhood in East Madras has begun construction. The initial 48 units have been completed, and another 75 are planned. The apartments are currently rented for between $1,425 and $1,775 a month.

Aside from the apartments and townhomes planned in the area, the developer plans 28 to 40 free-standing cottages, ranging in size room 750 to 1,200 square feet.

Summer Place

Summer Place is located in southeast Madras, near the Strawberry Heights subdivision. When completed, the development will be a manufactured home park with 59 spaces. The developer is currently working on infrastructure improvements, including the expansion of Southeast Tenth Street, to serve the development.

Wistful Vista

This small development has eight townhome style units on J and 10th streets. The units are nearing the end of construction.

Age+

This 24-unit housing development focuses specifically on affordable senior housing. Residents moved in recently, and the units have all been rented. This development is on Madison

Park Place

This 44-lot development on Highway 361 and Belmont Lane has begun construction, with the first homes nearing completion. The homes are smaller, single-family homes, and fit into the workforce housing category. The development also involved connecting H Street through the development to Highway 361.

Pre-construction

This category includes developments that are currently in construction plan review before they can begin building.

Bridgeview

The Bridgeview development is a 52-lot residential development located south of B Street, between Kincade and D streets.

The lots in this development are well above city standards in size, with larger lots and large homes planned. The lots, ranging in size from 7,500 to over 11,000 square feet, have three small cul-de-sacs, and work around existing homes in the area.

Grizzly Estates

This 46-unit development plans to include duplexes and triplexes on the corner of J Street and Grizzly Road.

Harmony

This 27-lot development is planned for the area near Adams Drive and McTaggart Road.

Belmont Apartments

This 36-unit apartment complex is planned for the corner of Belmont and Highway 361, in between J and K streets.

Planning

This section includes houses where initial plans and permits have been filed with the city, but the development is still in the planning process, and likely to adjust before construction begins.

Dream Catcher

This 23-lot subdivision is planned near Belmont Lane, north of the current neighborhood on Sunset Street.

Sunridge

The Sun Ridge subdivision will be located west of Culver Highway and the Juniper Crest subdivision. The 202-lot subdivision includes large lots, ranging from about 7,500 to about 13,000 sq. ft.

The subdivision was originally approved over 10 years ago, according to the developer, but the project lapsed due to the recession. It’s received recent funding through federal housing initiatives to re-start plans.

The subdivision intends to use the hillside landscape of the area to its advantage, including a row of houses with lot sizes above 10,000 sq. ft. along the ridgeline. A timeline for construction has not been established yet, but the homes will be built in nine phases.

High Level Townhouses

This development plans to build 28 townhouses on South Adams Drive, behind the Madras Cinema 5. The development would include flipped floorplan townhomes, with garages and large balconies to take advantage of the mountain view.

City View

The 101-unit project in eastern Madras, near City View Street. and the Yarrow neighborhood, is partially funded through a state grant that supports the development of affordable housing. Not all units fall under that category, but the developer plans to build 34 townhouse units with two- and three-bedroom floor plans. Each home has one shared wall with another unit, a single-car garage and fenced private space as part of the project.

Willow Heights

Willow Heights is a 41-parcel subdivision located between Grizzly Road and City View Street, north of the traffic circle on Grizzly. The development has led to some sewer adjustments, and the homes were considered in the Grizzly Road sewer project.

Stone Oak

This 40-unit apartment complex is in the planning stages to open on Oak Street near the hospital. The complex is one of the few apartment or multi-family housing projects currently planned.

Best Care

The only supportive housing project on the docket currently comes in an 11-unit development run through Best Care, located on Poplar Street, near the homeless shelter. This development includes small units and includes access to support services.