Kathleen Saadat Apartments
'I can keep going forward.'
Permanent supportive housing at Kathleen Saadat Apartments provides long-term support to people leaving homelessness.
Since opening its doors in late 2024, the Kathleen Saadat Apartments have provided 75 homes with wraparound services to people who recently experienced homelessness.
The apartments are among the 258 permanent supportive housing units that opened in FY 2025 in Multnomah County thanks to the Supportive Housing Services measure. The project is a partnership between Home Forward and The Urban League of Portland, which provides on-site, culturally specific services.
For the residents of the Kathleen Saadat, the deeply affordable housing combined with wraparound supports are helping them achieve their goals.
Ricky’s story
One resident, Ricky, has found those services crucial to his journey back to stability. Ricky became homeless after the end of a 20-year relationship, and he quickly encountered multiple barriers to renting his own place. That included previous involvement with the justice system earlier in his life, when he was in his 20s.
“I had no more troubles after that with the law,” he said. Still, those past mistakes made it harder for him to find a place that would rent to him.
He also found that lacking a documented work history was a barrier. As someone with low vision, he’s found his calling in jobs that relied on his physical strength. “I realized that I was never going to be good at working a tape measure, seeing a computer screen from a distance, and using a forklift. So I focused on all the other things.”
Those types of jobs were often paid under the table. “You could tell a story and say that you did this and worked this, but it’s just a story. You don’t have any proof,” he said.
Ricky was able to avoid unsheltered homelessness, living with his family before securing a room at a motel shelter operated by the Urban League. From there, he was able to get a spot at Kathleen Saadat.
With the help of on-site support staff, Ricky has been able to sign up for benefits and access medical care. He’s starting to feel more independent — something he’s often struggled with.
“I’ve always had bad eyesight, so I’ve been around family, acquaintances, or friends that I could trust,” he said. “I’ve always relied on someone else to handle my money, to help me take care of some of the important things.”
With the support of the Urban League team, Ricky is gaining more of that independence. “A little bit is learning how to do it, but some of it is just I’m not neglecting it. I knew how to do it — but now I’m doing it.”
Amy’s story
Amy, another resident, had been experiencing homelessness and struggling with alcohol abuse before moving into the Kathleen Saadat Apartments. The supportive services she’s found here have aided her recovery journey.
She first found support at Jean’s Place, a sober women’s shelter operated by Transition Projects, before moving into the Kathleen Saadat.
She’s now almost three years clean and sober, and says she’s taking things one day at a time — with the help of the Urban League’s support staff.
She finds joy in playing video games, spending time with her puppy, and exploring the food scene in downtown Portland. She’s also working on self- care and finding long-term stability.
“I have disabilities, so I want to try to work with my team, work with my health, work with my mental health, and try to stay steady,” she said. “That way I can keep going forward.”
