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Funding for 9 Oregon projects co-locating early care and education with affordable housing

Oregon Housing and Community Services (OHCS), in partnership with BuildUp Oregon (BUO), has committed $7.4 million in grants and loans to nine innovative projects that co-locate early care and education (ECE) with affordable housing developments across the state.

Andrea Bell, Executive Director of OHCS joins the Exchange to discuss the projects and their expected impact. Also joining the conversation is Geoffrey Lowry, Program Director for Oregon Child Development Coalition in Ashland, and Krista Palmer, Executive Director of Sunstone Housing Collaborative.

These projects, which leverage an additional $20 million of public and private investment, will strengthen communities by simultaneously increasing access to affordable housing and opportunities for quality early care and education, serving families where they live and dream.

Geoffrey Lowry, Program Director for the Oregon Child Development Coalition, Jefferson Exchange Host Mike Green and Krista Palmer, Executive Director, Sunstone Housing Collaborative.
JPR Senior Producer, Natalie Golay
Geoffrey Lowry, Program Director for the Oregon Child Development Coalition, Jefferson Exchange Host Mike Green and Krista Palmer, Executive Director, Sunstone Housing Collaborative.

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Mike Green is host of the Jefferson Exchange. Mike has lived in Southern Oregon for more than two decades. He is an award-winning journalist with over 20 years experience in media, specializing in media innovation, inclusive economics and entrepreneurship.
Natalie Golay is the Senior Producer of the Jefferson Exchange. She has a B.A. in Visual Arts, a certificate of recommendation in multimedia from the Vancouver Film school, and a law degree from the University of British Columbia. A communications professional for over 20 years, Natalie is a natural storyteller with extensive audio and video production skills.