SERA Housing Principal Gauri Rajbaidya selected for governor's housing council
Oregon, like many states, has a critical shortage of housing, and Governor Tina Kotek committed on her very first day in office to addressing that. The governor's plan aims at building 36,000 new housing units every year for a decade, spread across the entire spectrum of affordable and market rate. She has established the Housing Production Advisory Council to come up with an action plan to make this happen.
SERA's own Gauri Rajbaidya, a principal in our Housing studio, will be part of that council, and we could not be prouder of him.
Gauri has led design for a long list of affordable and market rate housing projects at SERA. He is particularly adept at community outreach, meeting with neighborhood groups and other representatives of the areas where his projects are planned, and working through their concerns or questions to make sure the new development becomes a good neighbor and benefits both its eventual residents and its surroundings. Some of Gauri's most recent housing successes include Hattie Redmond Permanent Supportive Housing and Orchards of 82nd.
"As a first-generation immigrant from Nepal, my affordable housing design work is inspired by an understanding of the rootlessness that is at the heart of the immigrant experience. From early on, when I moved to the United States, I have sought to create connections with immigrants, refugees, and communities of color, through advocacy and now building affordable, culturally specific housing," says Gauri.
At SERA, we believe that housing is a human right, and we're excited to see the impact of this new council. Congratulations, Gauri!