The Neighborhood Partnership Fund (NPF) began in 1990 with the goal of revitalizing Portland communities. Neighborhoods were in decay after the economic slowdown of the 1980's, the real estate market was just beginning to recover, and 2,500 properties in Multnomah County alone were vacant and/or abandoned. Our mission statement was simple: Revitalize Portland's inner-city neighborhoods by creating and sustaining a strong network of community development corporations. Through neighborhood-based Community Development Corporations (CDCs) we believed we could implement strategies that would re-build or create a sustaining infrastructure of affordable housing - affordable to very low income and working people -- and support economic opportunity for all residents.
We've come a long way since those beginnings and so much has been achieved.
NPF's focus has moved statewide, where more than 12,000 units of affordable
housing have been built and preserved by CDCs. Millions have been invested
and leveraged in private and public funds. Hundreds of community volunteers
and community development professionals dedicate their personal and
professional energies to the effort. The network of effective CDCs around
the state continues to creatively and aggressively pursue locally-based
strategies to create opportunities for low-income families and individuals
by providing housing, economic opportunities, and services. CDCs respond to
critical housing needs where the market still cannot and will not reach.
As NPF celebrates its fifteenth anniversary this year, we are proud of what we've helped to build. But we're not stopping for a long look back. As we look ahead to the next five, ten, and fifteen years, new challenges are visible on the horizon, and we plan to be ready, with our partners, to meet those challenges head on.