About UsOur Mission and History
Our Mission
Our mission is to provide affordable, safe, decent, and stable housing with compassion and integrity.
Our History
Northwest Coastal Housing (NWCH) is a private non-profit (501 C 3) that is governed by a Board of Directors, has paid staff, is self-supporting, uses volunteers for certain programs and oversees three projects/properties that are each budgeted individually.
The NWCH was formed in 1991 as the Lincoln County Community Development Corporation to develop affordable and decent housing for low-income families and provide rental/home ownership opportunities for those who cannot afford market rate housing. The organization changed its’ name to “Northwest Coastal Housing” in 2014.
The organization is committed to serving as advocate and facilitator for the development of safe and decent shelter, maintaining long term affordability of the housing stock and accomplish its mission in a climate where the constituents are treated fairly and with dignity. NWCH develops and manages housing for low-income families; persons recovering from mental illness and drug or alcohol addictions; and supported housing for developmentally disabled. In addition to furnishing housing opportunities, NWCH provides Resident Services to residents with the exception of the Alder Hill Apartments. These services help give low-income tenants opportunities to improve their standard of living and their quality of life. These services include health and nutrition workshops, community garden, Kid’s Club, parenting classes, social activities, social service referrals, conflict resolution, etc.
Our mission statement is “To provide affordable, safe, decent, and stable housing with compassion and integrity for all of our neighbors”. Our tag line is “Everybody needs a place to call home”.
A shortage of affordable housing was identified as a result of dwindling economic opportunities resulting from the diminishing extraction industries of forestry and fishing. A considerable segment of the central coast’s population are employed in the service sector in low paying jobs as the economic shift from the extraction industries to the tourist industry occurred.
This is a breakdown of the NWCH portfolio which total 92 units:
1995—The Ridge Apartments in Lincoln City: 80 units of affordable family housing (72 units at 60% and 6 units at 50% or less of the area family adjusted median gross income) with Resident Services provided by the NWCH.
2002—Yaquina Breeze Apartments in Newport: 9 units of supportive housing for persons with mental disabilities and drug/alcohol addiction and making less than 50% of the area’s family adjusted gross income. Resident services provided by the Lincoln County Health and Human Services Department
2005—Alder Hill Apartments in Toledo: Two one-bedroom apartments for people with 60% or less of the area’s family adjusted gross income.
NWCH staffing currently consists of a full time Executive Director, a part time Development Director/Grant Writer and a Contract Bookkeeper. Additionally, NWCH staffing includes two part time Resident Services personnel that administer the "Resident Services Programs and Activities."
Organizational strengths are a committed Board of Directors and Staff, the mission of the organization and the efforts made to obtain non-profit status and certification as a Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The NWCH is a qualified Community Housing Development Organization (CHDO) through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); qualifying in 2005. The NWCH Board of Directors is diversified with strong business leadership. HUD requires that 1/3 of a Board of Directors for a qualified (CHDO) shall be low income or serve low-income neighborhoods. Additionally, no more than 1/3 of the Board can be representative of public agencies (employed or volunteer). NWCH has always sought ethnic and economic minorities to serve on the Board of Directors. The NWCH Board of Directors is diversified with strong business leadership and meets the requirements.
