Indigenous Led Housing Solutions for Indigenous People in PDX!

By Miguel S. Chanocua Jun 7, 2025

As someone who is  both a resident of Oregon and an Indigenous Oregonian homelessness is something that is very personal and close to me. When I was very young my family and I became homeless and actually lived in our car for about 6 months or so. That was a very hard time in my life that my family and I will never forget during a time when there weren't very many resources at all for people experiencing homelessness. 

The reason for divulging a bit of my personal history to you all is because, in our beautiful city of Portland Indigenous people are still experiencing homelessness at a very high rate. However,  even now when there is so much hopelessness, Indigenous people and communities here in Portland have found ways to create solutions that bring New Hope and perhaps some healing to Indigenous people experiencing homelessness in Portland, and I want to share with you just one of the ways that Indigenous organizations and communities are leading the way to create housing and help for Indigenous people in Portland.

 

Nesika Illahee “Our Place” 

Photo of Nesika Illahee from NAYA

Nesika Illahee is Chinook language, my language, and means “Our Place”. The building is a 59 unit apartment complex built for Indigenous people here in Portland. The Confederated Tribes of the Siletz Indians. In addition to that the project was federally funded which was a big deal because federal money was never used for something like this in a big city. Saying that this place is just a living space for people would be a huge understatement. It is way more than that. There is indigenous artwork and murals throughout the building inside and out and spaces for people to gather and connect with their culture and traditions. Nesika Illahee also partners residents with help from NARA as well on their journeys to rehabilitation which provides support for them to stay strong in health and spirit. Nesika Illahee is just one of five housing projects that were specifically built to help out Portland’s Indigenous population with housing and other supports. 

But why is this important work?

When I think about why this type of work is important I am always taken back to my childhood, sleeping in that cold Pinto wagon and scared about what would happen to us and if that was just going to be the way things were going to stay. No one should have to go through that to live like that. 

That is why projects like this, especially ones that are Indigenous led projects like Nesika Illahee allow us to see what can change when people and communities come together to enact real change for people. Projects like this give more than just housing, they give people back their culture, dignity, and sense of community. But there is more that can be done and more organizations are leading the charge like the Future Generations Collaborative(FGC) and their project “Barbie’s Village” which is a tiny home project that is underway to house Indigenous people as well in a space that both honors the many cultures and supports Indigenous individuals and families. 

Picture of Barbie’s Village in NE PDX from The Oregonian 

To Learn more about these projects and the resources they offer visit their websites.

Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) or Future Generations Collaborative