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Tuesday, November 12, 2019

Nesika Illahee, Our Place: A project to house Portland, Oregon's at risk Native Americans


Construction of Nesika Illahee is set to be completed in December, 2019. Its 59 units will provide affordable housing to Portland's Native population as well as offer critical services to that community. Image source: Google Maps, 2019. 



According to the Oregon Community Foundation, “the share of homeless individuals
who identify as American Indian/Alaskan Native is 3.5 times this group’s representation
in the general population.” 

To confront this troubling reality in the Portland area, which contains the 9th largest
Native American population in the U.S., the Native American Youth and Family Center,
the Native American Rehabilitation Association of the Northwest, the Confederated
Tribes of Siletz Indians, and Community Development Partners are constructing  59-units
of affordable housing in Northwest Portland.  

Nesika Illahee, meaning “Our Place” in the Chinook language, aims to provide affordable
housing to a historically under served community, services specifically tailored to Native
Culture, in house medical, dental, and behavioral care, according to the Community
Development Partners website. Further, this project represents a precedent in providing
housing and services to at risk Native American members of the community who live outs
ide reservations. Nesika Illahee may serve as a model in providing urban Natives with
greater opportunities and fairness going forward.

To support this project or others like it make contact with these groups today:

Nesika Illahee development:
https://www.communitydevpartners.com/nesika-illahee

NAYA:

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting post. I'm glad to see support for Native American populations and a rising awareness overall of their rights and needs in society.

    ReplyDelete