Stone Creek Commons Groundbreaking Held in Bend

Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity began construction on 18 mixed-income homes for local workforce housing.

Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Residential

Screen-print poster illustration of wooden timber beams and a house frame, representing community housing development. — Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity has begun construction on Stone Creek Commons, a new 18-home development in Bend aimed at increasing workforce housing affordability. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Do you support using public land for affordable housing projects in your community?

Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity and Bend-La Pine Schools have broken ground on Stone Creek Commons, an 18-home development located near Silver Rail Elementary. The project utilizes surplus school district land to offer affordable homeownership opportunities to the local workforce.

Why it matters

The initiative addresses significant local affordability challenges, as only 16% of Bend households were able to afford an average home in 2024. By offering no-down-payment mortgages through a land trust, the project provides a path to ownership for those priced out of the market.

The development features 10 homes for households earning up to 80% of area median income and eight homes for those at 120%. Each property is designed with solar panels and heat pumps to lower long-term utility costs for owners.

The players

Bend-Redmond Habitat for Humanity

This local nonprofit organization works to build and rehabilitate homes for families in need of affordable housing options.

Bend-La Pine Schools

This school district serves students across the region and provided the surplus land necessary for the Stone Creek Commons project.

The details

Habitat for Humanity will retain land ownership through a community land trust to preserve long-term affordability. Employees of Bend-La Pine Schools receive first preference for the homes, which require no down payment from buyers.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Stone Creek Commons took place on September 24, 2026.
In 2024, residents required an annual income of $200,000 to afford an average home in Bend.

Culture Shift

This development reflects a broader transition toward community land trusts as a tool for preserving workforce housing in high-cost markets. It represents a departure from traditional speculative real estate models, prioritizing long-term stability over rapid market turnover.

Eligible employees of the local school district can now pursue homeownership without the barrier of a down payment. The project also helps lower monthly overhead for residents by integrating energy-efficient features like solar panels.

The takeaway

By utilizing excess land, organizations can create sustainable housing solutions that bypass standard market requirements. These developments offer a blueprint for other high-cost regions to support their essential workforce through land trust models.