Honoring T. Joyce Phillips

The community is named in honor of T. Joyce Phillips, a beloved early learning educator at Albina Head Start who served Dekum Court residents for decades. Phillips dedicated her career to early childhood education at Albina Head Start, where she worked directly with families from Dekum Court. Her approach to community building – listening to residents, amplifying their voices, and creating spaces for connection – became the foundation for how the redevelopment process was conducted.

Teresa Phillips, speaking about her mother’s legacy, shared, “My mother believed that every child deserved a strong foundation, and every family deserved a place to call home. She would be so proud to see the same spirit of caring for one another that she championed at Albina Head Start.”

Community-Led Design

The two-phase redevelopment effort allowed for all current residents to stay in their homes, serving as a model for how affordable housing communities can be reimagined without displacing existing residents. Home Forward hosted multiple resident meetings, design workshops, and feedback sessions that influenced everything from unit layouts and community spaces to safety features and amenities to ensure the new community would serve families for generations to come.

“Looking at these new homes, I think of the profound impact this community will have,” Metro Councilor Christine Lewis said. “With more than a hundred family-sized units and affordability secured for the next 99 years, this development will empower thousands of people and families in Concordia for generations to come.”

The community features 187 affordable homes in 4-level apartment-style units. Apartments include studios, one-bedrooms, two-bedrooms, three-bedrooms, and four-bedrooms to accommodate families of all sizes. The development includes community gathering spaces, children’s play areas, community gardens, and on-site supportive services. 

“This community is a powerful reflection of what happens when we invest in people, place, and purpose,” said OHCS Director Andrea Bell. “This community expands access to deeply affordable housing and honors the life and legacy of T. Joyce Phillips, a beloved educator and community builder whose impact continues to shape Northeast Portland. This new chapter is rooted in the belief that every Oregonian deserves a safe, stable home in a thriving neighborhood.”

The project represents a $75 million long-term investment in affordable housing and community development, made possible through partnerships with public funders including Metro, OHCS, HUD, the City of Portland, and other community stakeholders.

Portland City Councilor Dan Ryan highlighted the development’s role in the broader neighborhood: “This community represents our commitment to ensuring longtime residents remain rooted in the neighborhoods they’ve helped build. The resident-led approach here should be the standard for all affordable housing development.”