Spruce Point will provide 60 units of affordable housing in an area in need of more living options
A little over a year after construction began, a grand opening celebration is set for Spruce Point, a brand-new affordable housing community in the Manzanita, in North Tillamook County. The event, to be held from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, Sept. 17 at 522 Legacy Place in Manzanita, is open to the public and will celebrate the arrival of 60 units of much-needed affordable housing on the Oregon Coast.
“This is a unique project that’s delivering the kind of housing that will help people who work in or around Manzanita find an affordable, high-quality place to call home,” said Ben Pray, CEO of Home First Development, which partnered with Green Light Development on Spruce Point. “A lot of partners came together to make this happen, and we’re happy to be celebrating with them and the entire community now that Spruce Point is complete.”
Part of the 70-acre Highlands at Manzanita development on the eastern edge of Manzanita, Spruce Point has four buildings with two- and three-story garden-style apartments. There are one-, two- and three-bedroom units, all with air conditioning, stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, washers and dryers, and other amenities. The development has a central community building for resident gatherings, an outdoor plaza and a nautical-themed playground. It also meets Earth Advantage Gold efficiency standards.
This landmark achievement was supported through DEQ’s Climate Equity & Resilience Through Action (CERTA) Low-embodied Carbon Housing Program, a statewide initiative designed to address both the housing crisis and the climate crisis. Low embodied carbon housing refers to homes that are designed and built to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including the carbon emitted before a building is even occupied, also known as the “up front carbon” associated with manufacturing, transporting, and installing building materials.
“Working alongside DEQ, we rethought how we build – from concrete and rebar to insulation and flooring – and cut nearly 200 metric tons of CO2 from Spruce Point,” Pray said. “As a B Corp, that’s the kind of result we work hard to deliver in communities across Oregon. Many of these low-carbon specifications are now our baseline, so the investment made in Manzanita will benefit new developments for years to come.”
All of the units are designed to serve working families with incomes at or below 30-60% of the Area Median Income. The waitlist for units is open (see flyer below for more information), and residents will begin moving in this fall.
The Sept. 17 celebration will include a ribbon cutting, self-guided tours of units and community spaces, light refreshments and speeches from project partners. The speakers include:
- Andrea Bell, Executive Director, Oregon Housing and Community Services
- Linda Kozlowski, President of the Manzanita City Council
- Mary Faith Bell, Tillamook County Commissioner
- Rita Haberman, Built Environmental Specialist, Oregon DEQ
- Darcy Phillips, Executive Director of Cornerstone Community Housing
- Mae Pfeil, Executive Director of Columbia Pacific CCO
Home First worked with several service partners on Spruce Point, including Cornerstone Community Housing, which is providing rent and utility assistance, counseling and other services, and CARE Inc., a nonprofit social services agency in Tillamook County.
Funding for the $25 million project utilized $21.5 million from an Oregon Housing and Community Services Local Innovation Fast Track award, grants from Columbia Pacific CCO/Care Oregon ($500,000) and Tillamook County ($115,000), and construction and permanent financing from KeyBank.
“Communities along the Oregon Coast need housing that allows people to build their lives in places where they live and work,” said OHCS Executive Director Andrea Bell. “Spruce Point adds 60 affordable homes in a community where housing options are limited, creating greater stability for families and strengthening the workforce that keeps the region’s economy thriving.”
About Home First
Founded in 2009, Home First partners with public, private and socially responsible investors to help make sure affordable housing is available and accessible across the Northwest. Learn more at hfdpartners.com.
