Client
Big River Community Land Trust
Location
Hood River, Oregon
Avalon Drive: Expanding Attainable Homeownership
Big River Planned Unit Development is a planned 42-home community in Hood River, Oregon, created to expand attainable homeownership for working families. Using a ground-lease model that separates land cost from home cost, the development is designed to keep homes within reach for current and future buyers. As it moves through land use review, the neighborhood is positioned to support housing stability, economic access, and workforce retention in the community.
Problem
Barriers to Homeownership
The development addresses two interconnected challenges in Hood River: a limited housing supply and the widening gap between local incomes and home prices. For many households, buying a home in the community has become increasingly difficult. The client’s goal is to create a neighborhood that opens the door to ownership while helping keep homes attainable over time.
Solution
Designing the Framework for Lasting Affordability
AKS is helping advance the development through land use planning, land surveying, and site-development engineering for a compact 42-home neighborhood shaped around a ground-lease structure. That model separates land cost from home cost, reducing upfront barriers for income-qualified buyers while helping preserve long-term affordability.
Because the site is compact, the work requires careful coordination of access, utilities, parking, fire requirements, open space, and code considerations, as well as preparation of materials for entitlement and funding review. Ongoing collaboration with the client and project team helps align the site approach with both the property’s physical constraints and the development’s long-term goals.
Result
A Foundation for Future Homeowners
The project is currently in active predevelopment and land use review, with the application under review by the City of Hood River. Looking ahead, the development is anticipated to break ground in early 2028, with the first home closings expected in mid-2029. As planning, design coordination, and funding efforts continue, the project is advancing toward creating long-term affordable homeownership opportunities that support housing stability, economic access, and workforce retention in Hood River.
