Habitat for Humanity Project Progress

[November 2, 2025]

Gooseberry Trails is a development of attached townhomes being built on SW Capitol Hill Rd on land formerly owned by the Greater Portland Bible Church. Habitat for Humanity is the developer. Homes will be available for purchase by qualified buyers who have an average income of $40,000 a year.

According to a Habitat spokesperson, the name of the development was inspired by the gooseberry plants that will line the public walking paths throughout the community.

Project Summary:

• 52 attached 2-5 bedroom homes

• 5 ADA accessible homes

• New public road with lighting, sidewalk, and bioswales

• 40% of site conserved as tree canopy with lighted path

• Community playground and nature area

Additional details:

• All of the homes will be solar-ready.

• Each unit will have 1.1 parking spaces, including attached garage.

• Car chargers may be installed post-construction if HOA chooses to do so.

Project timeline:

• Design and permitting process began August 2023

• Site grading process completed December 2024

• Site utilities completed September 2025

• Public road and utility construction to begin October 2025

• Vertical construction to begin summer 2026

• Homes will be built and occupied in three phases

• Project completion expected spring 2029

Excavation work in November will likely come with traffic impacts on Capitol Hill Rd.

According to Project Manager Leigh Armstrong, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is requiring construction of a “road to nowhere”—a new street to be named SW California Street—at an estimated cost of $3 million in taxpayer funds. At the July meeting of the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association, Armstrong said she believes this requirement represents a misuse of public dollars intended for housing, noting that taxpayers are footing the bill for the road. Gooseberry Trails is being funded in part through Metro’s housing bond and the state’s LIFT (Local Innovation and Fast Track) homeownership program.

PBOT also requires an asphalt multi-use path for pedestrians and bikes through the forested conservation zone on the eastern side of the property. This portion will be preserved as tree canopy, while the western 60% of the site will be developed for the new homes. The path will be lit by low bollard-style lighting.

At the July meeting, SW Trails PDX founder Don Baack pointed out that the multi-use path is also a road to nowhere, as it ends before connecting up with Capitol Hwy.

Homes will be built and occupied in three phases, with project completion expected in Spring of 2029. Opportunities for volunteers to help with construction will be communicated in late spring or early summer.

Gooseberry Trails sits in the attendance boundary of Rieke, Gray, and Wells schools.

—Valeurie Friedman

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With several new multi-family construction projects coming online, Hillsdale is growing. How do you think our neighborhood will be affected? Let us know.