Dundee’s Getting Affordable Homes and Head Start Classrooms

NEWBERG, Ore. — A new project called Dundee Commons is bringing affordable housing and early education to downtown Dundee.

According to a press release, three local non-profits are teaming up to build a three-story building at the corner of OR 99W and 11th Street in Dundee, Ore. that will house four affordable homes and two Head Start classrooms, providing free preschool and family services for 30-50 children.

The project is a joint effort between Newberg First United Methodist Church, which is donating the land, Newberg Area Habitat for Humanity, which will handle construction and home sales, and Head Start of Yamhill County, which will run the early learning programs.

“Many workers in hospitality and agriculture often live in crowded, subpar conditions and struggle to find safe, affordable childcare,” stated the Newberg First United Methodist church in a press release. “A one-of-a-kind project is beginning to take hold in Dundee to address these concerns.”

This partnership kicked off in 2020 when the church received an opportunity to manage a piece of land in Dundee. They wanted to keep their existing church building while using other parts of the property to benefit the community.

Scott Edwards Architecture (SEA) has drawn up plans for the building, playground, and updated parking area. The design aims to fit in with Dundee’s community feel. SEA has worked with over 90 nonprofit organizations, according to their website, taking around a third of their active workload.

The project is expected to cost about $4.5 million, which will come from grants and local fundraising efforts.

Construction is planned to start soon, with the goal of finishing by late 2025.

If you want to support the Dundee Commons project, you can reach out to DundeeCommons@gmail.com.