Ben West Celebrates Opening of Las Flores, Expanding Affordable Housing for Working Families in Oregon City
Published on OregonCityNewsOnline.com
At the grand opening of Las Flores — a 171-unit affordable housing community in Oregon City — Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West joined local leaders, project partners, and community members to celebrate what is now one of the largest low-income housing developments in the region. The $71.5 million project, funded through public and private partnerships including $16 million from the Metro affordable housing bond, represents a major expansion of housing options for families, veterans, agricultural workers, and residents exiting homelessness.
While the article highlights contributions from multiple partners, West’s presence underscores the county’s ongoing commitment to ensuring affordable housing is not limited to a few areas, but rather spread equitably across communities. His participation in the event reflects his consistent advocacy for projects that prioritize deep affordability, larger family-sized units, and supportive services — features that Las Flores includes in abundance. With 75 three- and four-bedroom homes arranged around a green community park, along with gardens, walking paths, and play areas, the development is intentionally designed to support family stability and neighborhood connection.
Seventeen units will serve households transitioning out of homelessness, including eight dedicated to formerly homeless U.S. military veterans — an aspect West has strongly championed in his broader work. Additional units reserved for agricultural workers reinforce the project’s mission of serving residents who are often overlooked in traditional housing markets.
Las Flores represents the kind of thoughtful, community-centered development West continues to push for: one that restores dignity, provides opportunity, and strengthens the social fabric of Clackamas County. His participation at the ribbon-cutting showcases his role in helping advance large-scale, collaborative housing solutions that meet real community needs.
Content credit to OregonCityNewsOnline.com
