NAYA Generations is a 40-unit affordable and inter-generational housing project in the heart of Portland’s Lents neighborhood. This community model provides permanent homes for children adopted out of the foster care system, with families living alongside seniors. The project is sponsored by co-general partners NAYA (Native American Youth and Family Association) and GRES (Guardian Real Estate Services).

This effort began with the development of an abandoned 3.5-acre site owned by Portland Public School (PPS). Working through the Land Use Review process within the City of Portland, Carleton Hart guided the project through the Conditional Use Review process to allow for development of both affordable inter-generational housing (Phase I) and the Early Learning Academy and Community Center (Phase II).

The site layout radiates from the central gathering area with senior housing placed centrally to encourage interaction with the surrounding family units. These family units are oriented toward smaller courtyards and collectively “hug” the central gathering area, reinforcing Native American community values and creating a feeling of safety and stability for a young population in transition. Paths and open space provide connectivity with the surrounding neighborhood and the larger Lents community.