Originally developed in the 1940s, this 70-unit affordable housing community is spread across a four-acre site in Portland’s Richmond neighborhood. Bora is working with Home Forward to redevelop and modernize this long-outdated property, targeting 160 to 180 new affordable homes. The program will include a mix of units, from studios to 4-bedrooms, interspersed with amenity spaces that provide residents a place for both gathering and reprieve.

In partnership with AB Cultural Drivers, we are working with a Community Advisory Committee to engage neighbors and local service providers while centering the voices of current and prospective residents. We aim to create a shared understanding that builds on existing relationships, learns from community experiences, and increases education about the affordable housing development process so that future residents will be welcomed warmly into the neighborhood.

In initial visioning sessions we heard a fervent desire to maintain the peaceful calm of the existing garden-style apartments. Balancing this desire with the need for increased density in the face of Portland’s current housing crisis, the design solution builds on neighborhood patterns of low-rise and courtyard apartments, with most units facing into open courtyards and ground-floor units featuring private porches. Integrated pedestrian pathways welcome neighbors while respecting resident privacy and prioritizing safety. Design cues were taken from neighboring residences to establish a welcoming, human-scaled aesthetic.

Peaceful Villa just completed design and is targeting completion in 2026.