Housing stability doesn’t happen by accident—especially in rural communities. It’s the result of careful planning, long-term investment, and steady partnerships that hold systems together even when pressures rise.
In 2025, the North Bend City / Coos-Curry Housing Authorities continued that work across the South Coast, strengthening housing stability while laying the groundwork for the future.
Housing at Scale, Every Night
Last year, we served 1,252 households through public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs. Every night, more than 2,500 people had a safe place to call home because of the housing programs we steward. With an average occupancy rate of 96%, our housing portfolio remained highly utilized—reflecting both the depth of local need and the importance of keeping existing housing stable.
But numbers alone don’t tell the full story.
Building What’s Needed—And Protecting What Already Exists
In 2025, we advanced a balanced strategy focused on new development, preservation, operational improvement, and system coordination.
At North Bend Family Housing, one of the region’s most significant affordable housing developments, construction on Phase I (105 units) remained ahead of schedule, with Building A projected for completion in September 2026. Planning and coordination also continued for Phase II, which will add 48 more units. While the development includes Permanent Supportive Housing set-asides, most units serve working families and individuals priced out of the local housing market—helping relieve pressure across the entire housing system.
In Gold Beach, Anchor Point Apartments (formerly Ellensburg Housing) continued moving forward. When complete, the project will provide 19 units serving low-income seniors and a survivor of domestic violence, with groundbreaking anticipated in late 2026 or early 2027.
We also began early work in 2025 to identify future development opportunities in Brookings and across Coos and Curry Counties, ensuring we’re ready to respond when funding opportunities arise.
Just as important as building new housing is preserving what already exists. In rural markets, replacement costs far exceed available resources. That’s why preservation is treated not as maintenance, but as strategy.
Through intentional braiding of Energy Trust funding, Capital Funds, and Reserves for Replacement, nearly $250,000 was invested in energy efficiency upgrades—reducing long-term operating costs, improving resident comfort, and extending the life of aging properties.
Preservation with Services at the Center
At Powers Housing, a HUD Section 202 property serving seniors and people with disabilities, we leveraged over $400,000 in philanthropic and health-based funding to support preservation and modest expansion. These investments will add a new unit, create a community center and staff offices, and strengthen on-site services that support aging in place.
In 2025 alone, Powers Housing residents benefited from consistent service coordination—supporting housing stability through advocacy, lease education, food access, conflict resolution, transportation assistance, and health system navigation. This model reflects our belief that housing stability is about more than a unit; it’s about the supports that help people remain housed long term.
Additional planning funds were also secured for Woodland Apartments, ensuring proactive stewardship of another critical regional asset.
Strong Program Performance and Operational Improvements
Across our affordable housing portfolio, 269 households were served with no periods of unusual utilization. All households maintained housing for six months or longer, and tenant engagement efforts—including quarterly meetings, newsletters, and partnerships with Coos Health & Wellness—contributed to improved communication and fewer complaints.
Our Housing Choice Voucher program served 983 households, maintained stable landlord participation, and expanded readiness for shared housing, Project-Based Vouchers, and future Foster Youth to Independence vouchers.
Behind the scenes, operational improvements strengthened the entire system. Average work order completion times were reduced from 16.46 days to 7.67 days, and average unit turnover time improved from 45 days to 34 days—ensuring homes are safe, responsive, and available when needed.
Local Economic Impact and Regional Coordination
In 2025, nearly $6.5 million in Housing Assistance Payments flowed directly to local landlords. More than $648,000 was paid to local contractors, and over $13.9 million was invested in new affordable housing construction—reinvesting public dollars back into the regional economy.
We also continued active participation in the SPARC Network (Service Providers and Regional Connections), a coordinated regional framework led by Southern Oregon Coast Regional Housing. SPARC aligns housing, services, and system partners across the South Coast, strengthening the pathways that connect people to stability.
Looking Ahead
As we enter 2026, the Housing Authorities are positioned with strong occupancy, preserved and improving assets, advancing development projects, an expanding voucher toolkit, and a fully operational regional systems framework.
The work ahead remains significant—but so does the foundation already in place. Through steady stewardship, strategic investment, and strong partnerships, we remain focused on one goal: long-term housing stability for the South Coast.
By Matthew Vorderstrasse, M.A.,PHM.