Annex completion in sight: transitional housing in downtown TD shaping up

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 28, 2023 — Rocky Schultz of Lyle shows off her rock and landscape work at the Annex, or former Oregon Motor Motel at 200 W. Second St., in The Dalles on Tuesday, Sept. 26. Schultz works for Mountain Services owned by James Smasne.

Completion of the Annex is coming into view as final touches are being made to the building.

Smasne was around the other side of the building working on the west end parking lot of the building, leveling gravel so that the lot could be paved. He was also proud of the rock and landscape work where Second Street swings onto Lincoln Street, a main focal point as people drive through The Dalles.

A fence was also erected around the site on the west end, providing privacy as well.

Smasne said he was stoked to be part of the construction team that was bringing the Annex project to fruition. Mid-Columbia Community Action Council’s Annex provides transitional housing for the houseless as well as office space for social services offered by the Mid-Columbia Center for Living and Bridges to Change, which provides assistance for folks trying to break down the barriers to independent housed living.

The Mid-Columbia Community Action Council or MCCAC acquired the Motel for $3.25 million through a $4.27 million grant from the Project Turnkey 2.0 program, which MCCAC applied for at the end of the summer of 2022.

The goal of Project Turnkey is to provide Oregon communities with resources to acquire hotels and motels that can be quickly converted into shelter or transitional housing. The project is a partnership of the Oregon Community Foundation, Oregon Housing & Community Services, the Oregon Legislature, and a statewide Advisory Committee.

The renovation of the 54-room motor lodge is expected to bring 100 new beds and much-needed family shelter to the community, while also revitalizing the downtown.

The first 17 houseless people took up residency at the Annex in August.

"The acquisition of the Oregon Motor Motel is a huge win for our communities as the site will provide critical housing and shelter capacity while also revitalizing the entry to the downtown core,” said MCCAC Executive Director, Kenny LaPoint last February. “This is such an exciting project that we believe will help reduce houselessness by 50%* while also turning a rundown hotel into a community asset.”

The acquisition and renovations are expected to reduce houselessness by 50% in the three-county service area of Hood River, Wasco, and Sherman counties.

Photo of the fresh pavement on the west end of the Annex, across the street from 76 Gas station today, Sept. 28.

Part of the new fencing utilizing steel posts and cedar boards can be seen to the left in this photo.