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Baker Street Lofts

Baker Street Lofts is located at 110 SE Handley Street in McMinnville.

We're thrilled to feature Nate Ball and his transformative Baker Street Lofts project in our latest Client Spotlight. This affordable housing development, financed by First Federal, is nearing completion at 110 SE Handley Street in McMinnville, behind St. Vincent de Paul.

Baker Street Lofts was born out of unfortunate circumstances. The property previously housed a 17-unit, two-story apartment building, which suffered a total loss after a devastating fire in November 2020. The site remained in disrepair until the rebuild began in July 2023.

Nate's dedication to bringing affordable housing to his community is at the heart of this project. A significant aspect of Baker Street Lofts is its focus on affordability, with the new units accessible to residents at 80% of the area median income (AMI). Recognizing the potential to maximize the amount of housing that someone could bring residents, Nate proposed a rebuild that would increase the unit count to 24, leveraging a zoning code change and a Conditional Use Permit from the City of McMinnville. Nate collaborated with Yamhill Community Action Partnership (YCAP) to initially fill 16 of the 24 units with families referred by YCAP. The remaining units will likely receive subsidies from YCAP or Section 8 housing vouchers, providing comprehensive support for low-income families.

Baker Street Lofts features interior access to all units, a departure from the common exterior access seen in many local apartment projects.

This project is a rare instance of a privately funded affordable housing development without reliance on public funds. First Federal took on the challenge and supported Nate's journey to rebuild and expand Baker Street Lofts. Nate affectionately refers to the Commercial Team as "The Dream Team." First Federal is honored to be trusted by Nate to bring expertise and financing to the project and to support affordable housing initiatives.

Nate strives to continue to make an impact on the housing deficit in Oregon. He is already planning another development in McMinnville.

Nate Ball celebrates the grand opening of Baker Street Lofts alongside city officials, members of the Affordable Housing Committee, and First Federal.

We look forward to welcoming the new residents of Baker Street Lofts and celebrating this remarkable achievement with Nate and the community. Stay tuned for more updates on this and other inspiring projects in our Client Spotlight series!

Photos courtesy of Nate Ball & the First Federal Marketing Team

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