By The Office of Tribal Planning
The Tribal Housing Development Services Team has been working diligently on a number of housing projects that are coming to fruition in 2021. Lucky 7 is the first that has been in full swing of construction.
Lucky 7 is an existing manufactured home park on the Reservation near the “Four Corners” intersection of Mission Highway and State Route 331. The park is currently owned and operated by CTUIR, with a mix of owner-occupied and rental units. Though the property received utility (sanitary sewer and water main line) upgrades in 1996, most of the units were older manufactured models that were reaching end of life and not energy efficient. At its peak, Lucky 7 accommodated 27 units in a tight configuration. CTUIR has removed and decommissioned obsolete rental units on a case-by-case basis over the years.
The Lucky 7 project removed and decommissioned the remaining older units, and modified the site layout, utilities, and landscaping for more generous spacing and privacy between units. This includes the purchase and installation of 18 new manufactured homes. These units will accommodate both current Lucky 7 residents and residents relocated from Umatilla County flood areas.
Phase 1 foundations and water/sewer connections utilities have been completed. The new Phase 1 homes will be delivered and installed over the next month. Phase 1 move-in is anticipated to be in April with those still residing in Lucky 7 during construction given priority. Phase 2 construction will take place over Summer 2021. Anderson Perry is the civil engineer on the project. The site work and utilities general contractor is Nelson Construction Corp of Walla Walla.
The Office of Tribal Planning answered the following questions to give further details of te project.
What was the process like of getting these homes?
Lucky 7 has been eyed for redevelopment since the property was acquired in 1992. Because Lucky 7 had existing residents, the Housing Department took great effort not to create additional housing stress during the project. To accommodate the existing residents, the project was separated into 2 phases to allow current residents to remain on site during construction.
Who was the vendor and why did you select them?
The home provider is Homes Direct of Oregon, a Palm Harbor dealer with a factory in Millersburg, Oregon. Homes Direct of Oregon was selected as part of an open bid process. The quality for price was a deciding factor in choosing this vendor.
The Palm Harbor construction is of a high quality to improve the rental experience for tenants and to reduce long-term maintenance costs for CTUIR. Units are constructed under cover in the Millersburg factory, avoiding weather-related delays and complications of on-site construction.
The units are planned to be the NEEM+ energy efficiency standard, both to reduce utility costs for tenants and to meet CTUIR’s energy efficiency priorities. This energy standard includes added insulation and efficient house sealing, high-performance windows, and LED lighting.
How excited are you/your department about it?
According to Marcus Luke, Housing is super excited to get NEW units installed as the old ones served its purpose and turned into old dilapidated units out of code and we’re hearing the new tenants are excited to see quality and more efficient units for their family.
How many will there be?
There will be 18 new units. There are ten 3-bedroom units, approximately 1,400 SF each. There are eight 2-bedroom units, approximately 1,100 SF each.
Homes will include efficient heat pumps for heating and air conditioning.
Who are they for?
The price point for these units is designed to make them affordable for those in approximately 50%-100% of median household income.
Financials:
$1 million was provided by the State of Oregon Emergency Board for housing needs in response to the 2020 Floods. Anyone on the reservation whose housing status was negatively affected by the 2020 Umatilla River Floods also receive a priority placement in the new homes.
$300,000 grant was provided by Meyer Memorial Trust.
Remaining project costs were covered through internal funding mechanisms.
How soon are they going to be move-in ready?
The property is being redeveloped in 2 phases. When Phase 1 is complete then those still residing in Lucky 7 will move into the new homes and then Phase 2 construction will begin. Phase 1 is anticipated to be complete in April for tenant move-in and Phase 2 in summer.
How much did it cost?
The total cost of the project was $3.2 million – this includes engineering, removal of existing homes, site work, utilities, foundations, and the new housing units. $1 million in funding was provided by the State of Oregon Emergency Board for manufactured housing needs in response to the 2020 Floods.
