New affordable housing complex addresses Portland’s racist past [Video]

PORTLAND, Oregon — On the corner of Portland’s North Alberta Street and North Williams Avenue on Tuesday, community members armed with gold shovels broke ground on the future: The Strong Family Apartments. 

The new 75-home affordable housing complex will give preference to applicants with historical roots in that part of Portland; people who were involuntarily displaced from it due to gentrification and racist practices. In that vein, those ceremonial shovels were also digging up part of Portland’s past.

“Man! Alberta was the spot!” said Tony Hopson Sr. “It was THE street!”

Hopson would know. He grew up in that neighborhood and founded Self Enhancement Inc. The nonprofit co-owns and is developing the complex with Community Development Partners. The Strong family owned the property before selling it to the …