A little over a year after breaking ground on construction, Salem’s latest affordable apartment complex is welcoming its first tenants.

Leaders in housing development and community services gathered at Gussie Belle Commons on Wednesday, March 11, taking shelter from the rain with music, speeches and a ribbon cutting at the clubhouse which will host events and resources for residents.

This week’s event celebrated the completion of phase one of the development, which built 120 apartments at 739 23rd St. N.E. It includes 29 1-bedroom apartments, 30 2-bedroom, 55 3-bedroom and six 4-bedroom.

Phase two, which will break ground next week, will add 60 additional apartments in 2027.

The $45 million project, a partnership between Green Light Development, Home First Development and Salem’s Seed of Faith Ministries, broke ground in January 2025. Much of the funding came from a $17.9 million state grant, and $17.8 million came from private investors who will receive federal tax breaks for their contribution, according to a statement from Jon Bell, a spokesman for Green Light Development.

As of opening, there were over 300 households on the waitlist, according to Home First Development.

There are few affordable apartments with vacancies in Salem, according to data the Salem Housing Authority shared with Salem Reporter last month. Low-income families throughout the community are struggling to find an affordable place to live.

The first residents arrived in January, and all units are on track to be filled over the next four months, according to Bell.

Both Seed of Faith and the Mid-Willamette Valley Community Action Agency will have offices in the clubhouse, where residents can get help connecting with resources like food, work and community programs.

There are plans to build a child care center nearby for Head Start programs, Jimmy Jones, the community action agency’s executive director said in a statement.

Each apartment has stainless steel appliances, quartz countertops, air conditioning and washers and dryers included. 

Rent at Gussie Belle Commons is determined by state standards for affordable housing, and set to serve people who earn 30-60% of the area’s median income. That’s a range of about $27,800 to $55,600 for a family of four.

Most of the apartments, 96 of the total 120, will be set at the rate for 60%, which is $1,179 per month for a 2-bedroom apartment. A 2-bedroom apartment at the lower, 30%, rate would be $557 per month. The apartments don’t have built-in housing vouchers, meaning it’s up to tenants to pay the full rent with their income.

Applications are available online. Applicants will be screened for income and rental history, though Seed of Faith leadership has previously said it plans to work with renters to overcome application barriers like low credit scores and prior evictions. 

The apartments are named for Gussie Belle Brown, a longtime Salem Hospital nursing assistant and pastor at the State Street Church of God, where she helped connect homeless people with housing. Brown died in 2022. 

“Gussie Belle Commons carries forward her legacy of compassion in every home,” said a flyer for attendees at the grand opening. 

Contact reporter Abbey McDonald: [email protected] or 503-575-1251.

LOCAL NEWS DELIVERED TO YOU: Subscribe to Salem Reporter and get all the fact-based Salem news that matters to you. Fair, accurate, trusted – SUBSCRIBE