Milwaukie’s long‑planned overhaul of Hillside Park is officially underway. On Wednesday, county, state and local officials cut the ribbon on the first two buildings in the redevelopment, opening 275 new affordable apartments for households earning well below the Portland‑area median. The celebration marked Phase 1 of a multi‑phase effort to replace the aging 1940s campus with denser, amenity‑packed housing that layers in dedicated supportive units and on‑site services. Officials also stressed that the new homes are designed with energy efficiency and emergency preparedness front and center.
What opened
The first wave of new housing includes Blossom & Community, a 100‑unit, four‑story building, and Parkside Heights, a pair of four‑story buildings totaling 175 homes. Together they add 275 apartments targeted to households at roughly 30%, 50% and 60% of area median income, according to the Housing Authority of Clackamas County. Project materials show Phase 1 includes 21 permanent supportive housing units and about 140 project‑based vouchers intended to knock down rent burdens for many residents.
The filings also spell out a set of neighborhood‑minded perks: multipurpose community rooms, laundry facilities, garden beds and a central plaza meant to stitch the campus back into the surrounding streets instead of walling it off.
“The 275 units opening today are only the first phase of the work being done,” Clackamas County Chair Craig Roberts said at the ribbon cutting, which city and state leaders attended, per Clackamas County. The county also shared shots from the event on Facebook.
Design and services
Developers did not just stack more units on the site; they leaned into sustainability and on‑site supports. Related Northwest notes that the buildings use all‑electric systems and are wired for future rooftop solar. At the heart of the campus is a resilience hub stocked with backup power and emergency supplies, meant to keep residents safer and connected when things go sideways.
Impact Northwest and other partners will run programs out of that hub, while the Housing Authority will staff on‑site resident services, aiming to make the new Hillside more than just a place to sleep.
Funding and next steps
Clackamas County said the redevelopment is backed in part by $41.6 million from the voter‑approved Metro Affordable Housing Bond, plus a mix of federal and state grants, HOME funds and low‑income housing tax credits, according to Clackamas County. Project documents from the Housing Authority of Clackamas County show Phase 1 was anticipated to be completed in mid‑2026 and that Phase 2 will push the Hillside master plan toward more than 500 income‑restricted homes on roughly 14 acres.
Officials are framing the new openings as a milestone in the region’s push for “deep” affordability. County materials note the 275 homes stack on top of thousands of Metro‑bonded units across the region, and developers say construction on later phases will keep rolling in the coming months.
Residents and neighbors hunting for leasing details or information on services are being directed to the Housing Authority of Clackamas County and Related Northwest for contact and application information.
