NAYA: Unique Indian housing project on track for completion

Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA): Mamook Tokatee Overview

Oregon’s first tribal- and artist- preference housing nearly complete

Tuesday, August 31, 2021

Source: Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)

The following is the text of an August 31, 2021, news release from the Native American Youth and Family Center.

PORTLAND, Oregon — Construction on Oregon’s first tribal- and artist-preference affordable housing development, Mamook Tokatee, will be completed this year.

Mamook Tokatee, which translates to “make beautiful” in the Chinook language, is the Native American Youth and Family Center’s (NAYA), Community Development Partners’, and the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians second tribal preference housing partnership in Portland. The Siletz’ participation and allocation of a portion of their Indian Housing Block Grant allows the legal tribal preference policy to be executed.

The four-story new building will provide 56 new permanently affordable homes in Portland’s Cully Neighborhood on the corner of NE Going and NE 42nd Avenue. The building’s first floor will dedicate more than 1,000 square feet for artists and residents to create art and share knowledge together. Other building amenities include a resident community room, on-site services, and nearby access to K-12 public schools, Portland Community College’s Workforce Center, public transit, parks, and NAYA’s community center.

Architectural rendering of the Mamook Tokatee housing project in Portland, Oregon. Image courtesy Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)

Throughout the building Native American art and artists will be featured prominently. An art committee has already selected works by artists Lillian Pitt (Wasco, Yakama, Warm Springs), Derek No-Sun Brown (Shoshone-Bannock, Klamath, Anishinabe), Toma Villa (Yakama), and Greg A. Robinson (Chinook) to adorn the property.

Brown, Robinson, and Villa will contribute murals, while Pitt will provide a traditional Native coyote story which will be depicted on the building’s courtyard. Additional art will also be displayed on every floor.

“The ability to reflect culture through art has long been revered by Native people traditionally,” said NAYA Executive Director Paul Lumley (Yakama). “This is because of the power art has on healing people and bringing them together, things this our wider society could use much more of these days. NAYA is elated to provide our living culture keepers an affordable place to live and a cultural community to thrive within.”

Mamook Tokatee is currently leasing, with residents slated to begin to move in at the end of December. Interested applicants are encouraged to email mamooktokatee@nayapdx.org or mamooktokatee@viridianmgt.com or call (503) 396.1158.

A temporary leasing office is located on 4522 NE 42nd St. Portland, OR, 97218, through the end of December.

Photos: Nesika Illahee

In January 2020, the Native American Youth and Family Center, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians, Community Development Partners and the Native American Rehabilitation Association celebrated the completion of the Nesika Illahee affordable housing project in Portland. Nesika Illahee means “our place” in the Chinuk Wawa language.

The photos shown here were taken in February 2020. All photos by Indianz.Com (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)

About Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA)
NAYA (nayapdx.org) provides culturally specific programs and services that guide our people in the direction of personal success and balance through cultural empowerment. Our mission is to enhance the diverse strengths of our youth and families in partnership with the community through cultural identity and education.
About Community Development Partners (CDP)
Founded in 2011, Community Development Partners (communitydevpartners.com) develops and operates sustainable, life-enhancing affordable housing with a focus on long term community engagement and innovative design. The company’s mission is to repair and strengthen the fabric of cities and towns by meeting the housing needs of local citizens through the thoughtful planning and creative development of sustainable, affordable communities.
About the Siletz Tribe
A group of many tribes and bands, each with its own language, territory, and customs became the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians (ctsi.nsn.us) in the mid-1800s. The Siletz Tribe offers many programs and services to tribal members, including housing, education, health, and social and employment services. Culture and language classes also are available in all areas in which the tribe has offices, including Siletz, Portland, Salem and Eugene.

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