2025 Impact Report: Building Homes, Strengthening Community

In 2025, our organization reached a pivotal moment in its 35-year history. What began decades ago as a modest but determined effort to address housing needs in Sisters has grown into a comprehensive, community-driven housing initiative with lasting impact. This year marked not only measurable growth in the number of homes we are producing, but also meaningful progress in how we steward resources, expand affordability, and advocate for systemic change.

A Dramatic Increase in Housing Production

One of the most significant achievements of 2025 was the transformation of our housing production capacity. Historically, our organization averaged one to two homes per year. In 2025 alone, we increased that number to seven completed homes, demonstrating that with the right tools, partnerships, and planning, small community-based organizations can scale their impact without losing their mission focus.

Looking ahead, this momentum positions us to create 21 new homes in 2026, representing a level of production unprecedented in our organization’s history and a meaningful step toward meeting the growing housing needs of the Sisters community.

This increase represents more than numbers—it means families gaining access to stable, affordable housing in Sisters, and households able to put down roots in the community they serve and love.

Advancing the Woodlands Development

In 2025, we also reached a major milestone at the Woodlands subdivision, breaking ground on the final six homes of this ten-home development. This moment represents years of planning, fundraising, and perseverance. With construction now underway on the final phase, Woodlands is moving from vision to reality, bringing us closer to completing a thoughtfully designed neighborhood that reflects our commitment to affordability, quality, and community integration.

Strategic Use of Third-Party Lending

To better maximize our limited resources, 2025 marked a strategic shift in how we finance homeownership opportunities. We transitioned to the exclusive use of third-party lending through the Oregon Flex First Home program, allowing us to leverage independent  financing rather than being limited by reliance on internal capital.

This approach enables us to stretch donor dollars further, reduce financial risk, and reinvest our organizational resources directly into developing additional homes—amplifying the impact of every contribution and accelerating our ability to respond to local housing needs.

Expanding Our Housing Mix with Workforce Homes

Recognizing the growing housing crisis facing middle-income households, we expanded our housing model to include workforce homes serving households earning 80% to 120% of Area Median Income. Teachers, healthcare workers, skilled tradespeople, and other essential members of our community are increasingly priced out of the local housing market. By intentionally including workforce housing in our developments, we are addressing a critical gap and helping ensure that Sisters remains a place where the people who support the community can also afford to live.

Larch Commons: Our Largest and Most Comprehensive Development

In 2025, we completed infrastructure for Larch Commons, a landmark achievement that stands as the largest and most comprehensive development in our organization’s history. Over the next two years, Larch Commons will deliver 19 affordable homes and 6 workforce homes, creating a vibrant, mixed-income neighborhood that reflects our holistic approach to housing.

Completing this infrastructure phase represents years of coordination, investment, and partnership, and sets the stage for sustained housing delivery well into the future.

Advocacy for Lasting Change

Beyond bricks and mortar, we continued to engage in advocacy efforts at the state, county, and city level in support of affordable housing. By lending our voice and experience to policy discussions, we are working to address the structural barriers that contribute to housing shortages—not just in Sisters, but across the region. Our advocacy reflects a belief that lasting solutions require both local action and broader systemic change.

Ensuring Perpetual Affordability Through Land Lease

In 2025, we fully implemented our Land Lease platform, a transformative step that ensures newly created homes will remain permanently affordable to the community. Through perpetual affordability covenants, this model protects public and charitable investment, preserves long-term community benefit, and ensures that affordability is not lost to future market pressures. This platform is a cornerstone of our commitment to stewardship and generational impact.

With Gratitude

None of these accomplishments would be possible without the unwavering support of our community. We extend our deepest gratitude to the donors, volunteers, neighbors, and advocates who believe in the importance of affordable housing in Sisters. We are equally grateful for the dedication and tireless effort of our staff, whose professionalism and passion drive this work forward every day, and for the partnerships—with public agencies, lenders, contractors, and community organizations—that make meaningful progress possible.

Together, we are addressing the shortage of affordable housing in Sisters with intention, innovation, and hope. The successes of 2025 are not an endpoint, but a strong foundation for the work ahead.