Across the Portland metro area, Habitat for Humanity’s partnerships with local developers are helping to bring more affordable homes within reach for families and individuals who need them most. Two of Habitat’s newest collaborators — West Coast Home Solutions and DBS Group — are not only building high-quality homes but also investing deeply in the mission of creating stronger communities.
“At Habitat, we recognize that we can’t build our way out of the housing crisis alone,” said Steve Messinetti, President and CEO of Habitat for Humanity Portland Region. “That’s why we launched this pilot program with two mission-aligned developers to expand affordable homeownership opportunities across the region. Habitat continues to build many homes ourselves, but these partnerships allow us to work alongside even more families and individuals looking for an affordable place to call home.”
West Coast Home Solutions: From Ukraine to Oak Row
At the Oak Row property in Gresham, West Coast Home Solutions is hard at work constructing 11 homes that will soon become part of a vibrant Habitat neighborhood. For company founder Eugene Labunsky, the project carries personal significance.
“My family immigrated from Ukraine in 1989,” Labunsky shared. “We grew up with a lot of folks who needed housing like this. Becoming a builder and being able to provide the kind of housing we needed when we came to the U.S. means a lot to me.”
Labunsky and his team have evolved from a small remodeling company founded in 2002 into a fully integrated builder capable of managing every aspect of construction — from site work to finishing touches. That efficiency allows Habitat projects to move forward more affordably and on schedule. West Coast Home Solutions expects the homes to meet Earth Advantage certification, reinforcing both environmental and community sustainability.
“We’re really excited to keep the partnership going and provide affordable housing throughout the Pacific Northwest,” Labunsky said. “We hope this is just the beginning.”
Creating new pathways with DBS
In Portland, DBS Group is also proving how public-private collaboration can open new pathways to homeownership. The company specializes in infill and middle housing development, a model that’s helping reshape neighborhoods by replacing single large homes with multiple smaller, more affordable units.
“Prior to the zoning changes, a typical 50-by-100-foot lot would’ve just been one big $800,000 home,” explained Daniel Silvey of DBS Group. “Now, you can build up to four smaller homes — each around $350,000. It opens up a ton of new opportunity for buyers who otherwise wouldn’t have had any options.”
DBS Group’s Habitat partnership embodies this shift, using thoughtful design and zoning flexibility to create attainable homes in walkable neighborhoods where people want to live. The eight homes at Magnolia Crossing are on track for completion in fall 2026, with homes currently framed and roofed as interior work progresses.
“It’s been a great partnership,” Silvey said. “We didn’t really know what to expect going in, but everyone’s been very accommodating. It fits what we’re trying to do on the market-rate side, but in this case, we’re serving a lower-income population and we’re really proud of that.”
More affordable housing for our community
Together, partnerships like these are transforming how affordable housing gets built in the region and are showing what is possible when we create a model for affordable homeownership that works. Habitat for Humanity will continue to select and support homebuyers for the two communities in our pilot program. By combining Habitat’s deep expertise with local builders, more people will have the chance to own affordable homes in neighborhoods they love.
