Fellow Profile

Ben Gates

“Today, cities are being built for singles and empty nesters, while family needs are largely ignored, especially the needs of working families. Our urban family development in Portland is an opportunity to show how American cities can be truly livable by attracting and retaining children and families.”

— Ben Gates

Fellowship Host:
Central City Concern
Portland, OR

Community engagement was the theme for Ben Gates during his fellowship, which focused on the development of an urban, mixed-use building that integrates more than 100 housing units, a community center and child-care facility, all serving diverse, mixed-income families.

One example of Ben’s dedication was his facilitation of a neighborhood “family forum." Designed to further the understanding of what families in the central city need, the forum engaged parents and children though the use of a giant neighborhood floor map on which participants imagined and drew neighborhood possibilities. The forum helped rally support for the missing neighborhood amenities of affordable family housing, child care, a school and a community center. Ben took this input and championed the implementation of public policy that prioritizes the development of these vital missing components.

Ben also encouraged his host to adopt the highest sustainability benchmark to date in their Pearl Family Development–the Living Building Challenge. To achieve the water component of the challenge, Ben spearheaded “Achieving Water Independence in Buildings,” a project that attracted the participation of 60 experts. The project team collaborated with officials to reform water regulation in Oregon. Today, due largely to the team's hard work, buildings in Oregon can achieve 70-80% water savings though rain- and gray-water harvesting. Ben distributed this work as open source to allow others to benefit from the team’s "Water Independence Roadmap.”

Ben’s most recent accomplishments include designing and managing the significant rehabilitation of Laura's Place, whose transitional apartments and supportive services help single parents and children find affordable, permanent housing.

Enterprise Community Partners