Who aRE WE?

Sabin CDC works toward social equity by stabilizing & improving the livability of culturally-diverse Portland neighborhoods by assuring the availability of long-term affordable housing for low- & moderate-income residents, with a special focus on African American households, by encouraging community partnerships for local economic development, and by offering youth & senior programs.

Sabin was founded in 1991 in a livingroom of concernced Neighbors

In 1992 We Recieved Non-profit Status.

1993 received a neighborhood capacity grant to have the first staff. Creating a programmatically diverse of the inner NE Portland

In 1996 we completed 56 units and of housing with 46 more in development

In the Mid 90's we launched our landtruat program for people that wanted to own a home

In 1999 our properties Endela and Otesha finished Construction. Otesha was the first new build on Alberta for a long time

In 2001 with the merger being denied, Sabin continued shifting toward economic and youth development, started going for funds outside of the region

In 2013 Sabin CDC Underwent new leadership, helping carve what we know Sabin CDC today
Alberta Street and the surrounding neighborhood exists today as one of the trendier places to live in Portland. There are popular restaurants, galleries, and stores, surrounded by a neighborhood of older homes and new infill homes that make for prime real estate. However, much of the street’s vitality has come at a cost: the dislocation Portland’s historic Black community. The neighborhood was initially developed around a streetcar line, and became a haven for African American families, especially after the Vanport Flood in 1948. It became the rich cultural center for Black Portlanders; however, due to racist practices, the neighborhoods around Alberta Street were systematically redlined and disinvested, leaving them in a state vulnerable to gentrification. Since the early 2000s, housing prices have soared, and many long-time residents have been pushed further north to N. Portland and Vancouver and east to an area known as “the numbers.”
Today, Sabin CDC is one of the only affordable housing providers in the area who have successfully saved space for NE Portland’s disenfranchised Black residents. Sabin CDC resident incomes average 20-50% of the median and 76% of our residents identify as Black or Multi-Racial, a demographic that mimics the overall neighborhood composition that existed in 1990.
As a part of the Sabin’s focus on equity and environmental justice, our organization is committed to creating space for our residents to actively participate in making their neighborhood a more sustainable place for the benefit of all. Sabin CDC is intentionally prioritizing our residents’ health and sense of belonging by adding new pollinator and vegetable gardens to the grounds of six of our existing properties and to the rooftops of our two buildings that are scheduled to break ground in 2021. Because green spaces have been correlated with improved mood, decreased stress, and an increased sense of belonging in neighborhoods nationwide, benefits are far reaching and will improve both our ecological impact and our residents’ access to fresh food. Creation of these gardens and affordable housing is vital to the preservation of our residents’ community and culture with the intention of positive impacts for all neighborhood residents.
Sabin CDC celebrates the opportunity to engage and collaborate with volunteers, residents and community partners towards building a legacy of stewardship, heritage and excellence.