BEND, OR -- Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity received a $10,000 grant from the U.S. Bank Foundation to fund the construction of eight Watercress Townhomes in Bend.

“Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity is honored to continue to partner with U.S. Bank in building community though affordable homeownership. When a family has a safe, stable, and affordable home, they experience lasting change that impacts not only generations in their family, but also in our neighborhoods and community. U.S. Bank’s partnership and support enables us to serve more families and widen our impact, and we are grateful,” Mellissa Kamanya, Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity’s Director of Grants Management, said in a statement.

Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity plans to complete the Watercress Townhomes and welcome eight families into their new homes in early 2023.  This is Bend-Redmond Habitat’s third site using a permanent affordability model, leaving a legacy of affordable homeownership by ensuring that the homes are only available for resale to low-to-moderate income families forever. When Watercress Townhomes are complete, there will be 39 Habitat homes permanently affordable in Bend and Redmond, 12 more to be added in late 2023, and many more in the early planning stages.

The Watercress Townhomes are being built with green building and energy efficient practices such as such as heat pumps, high efficiency windows and insulation, and solar panels. These homes will contribute less overall greenhouse gas to the atmosphere, but also drastically reduce utility bills for the homeowners for years to come.