Read more: Details about whether you will qualify for OHP as the COVID public emergency ends.

Converting the Red Lion Hotel to housing 

The outside of the Red lion inn and suites in Seaside, Oregon.

As part of our ongoing focus on improving access to housing in our region, Columbia Pacific is working to convert the Red Lion Hotel in south Seaside (900 S Holladay Drive) into affordable housing for community members and healthcare providers.

By converting an existing building into housing, we will be able to accelerate the construction schedule and complete the project for approximately half the cost of a new building.

We are targeting completion by spring 2024.

About the project:

  • 50-60 units, split between permanent supportive housing for residents with behavioral health concerns and workforce housing for health care and social services staff
  • Onsite property management provided by Clatsop Community Action
  • Onsite housing support services for residents needing behavioral health support provided by Clatsop Behavioral Health

 

Why this project is important to community health:

  • The shortage of affordable housing in Northwest Oregon is among the nation’s worst. Oregon only has 28 units of affordable housing for every 100 extremely low-income households.
  • Clatsop County’s per capita rate of houselessness is the highest in the Oregon, coming in at six times higher than the state average.

 

Why this project is important to Clatsop County healthcare providers:

  • The housing crisis is not limited to those with low incomes. The shortage of available housing makes it difficult to recruit workers from outside our region.
  • The northwest coast is a nationally designated “Health Professional Shortage Area.” That means special incentives are available to help attract providers to our region, but lack of available housing is standing in the way of provider recruitment.

 

"The lack of housing is a huge barrier to getting medical providers to come work in our community. We lose potential staff every week."

− Pam Cooper, Director of Finance for Providence Seaside Hospital

About our focus on housing:

Columbia Pacific’s investment in housing is in response to community feedback. Access to safe, affordable housing is identified in the CCO’s 2019-2024 Regional Health Improvement Plan as a top priority across our region. More than 1,900 community members provided feedback to inform this plan. Read more about our Housing Investments.