With the completion of the Fuller Station Apartments, more people will have convenient access to both transit and affordable housing
In a little under a year and a half, Clackamas County’s newest affordable housing project went from seed to tree, springing up on land that had previously been used as part of TriMet’s Fuller Road MAX Station Park & Ride. The project, known as the Fuller Station Apartments, broke ground in April 2021 and opened to tenants this fall. The project’s swift turnaround was made possible through the coordination of TriMet’s Transit-Oriented Development Program (TOD), which aims to connect more people to transit, prevent displacement and create family-wage jobs by redeveloping underused parcels of land.
Rising six stories, the 129,000-square-foot building features 100 apartments for families and individuals who earn between 30% and 60% of the area median income. Partial funding for the project came from the Housing Authority of Clackamas County (HACC), which awarded nearly $8.6 million in Metro Affordable Housing Bonds for this development.
Taking its name from its proximity to the MAX Green Line’s Fuller Road MAX Station, the apartments aim to invest in public transit, reinvigorate the neighborhood by opening up nearby land for future development and provide new housing to those who need it. There’s also still plenty of parking available at the Park & Ride, with the new building occupying about half of the overall footprint. With new residents being close to both the MAX Green Line and Line 72-Killingsworth buses, TriMet also provided residents with pre-loaded Hop cards upon their moving in.
Partnering for housing
In partnership with developers Geller, Silvis & Associates and Guardian, as well as Clackamas County, Fuller Station Apartments took shape over about 18 months and began its opening in October. Other partners who made the project possible include Oregon Housing and Community Services, Metro, CREA, JPMorgan Chase, R&H Construction, BC Group, Waterleaf and Tello Interiors. The apartments are currently 66% leased and accepting applications. A referral from a specific social service organization may be required for eligibility.
“With the high demand for affordable housing, we are proud to launch Fuller Station and be a part of the solution. Not only does Fuller Station offer homes for those with lower incomes, but we have also partnered with DevNW and Clackamas Women’s Service to provide a community for those aging out of the foster care system and survivors of domestic abuse,” said Tom Brenneke, president of Guardian. “Thanks to being adjacent to the MAX Green Line, we’re also able to offer accessibility to affordable transportation to work, healthcare, and social services.”
“TriMet is very excited to celebrate the opening of Fuller Station. This affordable housing project reinforces TriMet’s Transit-Oriented Development goal to support the delivery of community-supportive housing at its stations,” TriMet General Manager Sam Desue Jr. said. “Fuller Station and the new street infrastructure accompanying it is an excellent example of how public-private partnerships can promote more efficient land use around transit.”
Transit-oriented development: helping people move
While we aren’t developers, TriMet works with the public, private and community partners to facilitate new developments through our Transit-Oriented Development Program. These projects maximize density using TriMet properties that are no longer needed or by coordinating with third-party properties located near transit. Not only does transit-oriented development facilitate density, increase the supply of affordable housing and help realize new projects that benefit the community, they also increase access to transit.
In recent months, our Transit-Oriented Development program has taken steps to realize future projects that will sustain regional growth and invigorate communities. Earlier this summer, TriMet signed a letter of intent with Multnomah County for the partial sale of Gresham City Hall Park & Ride for the development of a new regional flagship library.
TriMet also recently received a $315,000 grant from the Federal Transit Administration to conduct studies around potential development opportunities at two Park & Rides: E 122nd Ave and E 181st Ave. The plans will address housing needs, economic development, transit accessibility, as well as pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
For more information about TriMet’s Transit-Oriented Development Program, visit trimet.org/tod.
