A photo of affordable housing units built by Rooted Homes. 

Even for Central Oregonians who have been priced out of the housing market, the hope of home ownership is not lost.

People who make below a certain income can enter a lottery for a shot at purchasing a new home well below market value.

Rooted Homes, a nonprofit affordable housing provider, is seeking applicants to purchase homes at its newest project in Redmond, Rooted at 19th, a 22-home development in duplexes and triplexes northwest of downtown.

The development is on track to be completed by February 2026. Half of the homes — a mix of two and three-bedrooms — have yet to be purchased. Home prices start at $258,000 for a two-bedroom and $293,000 for a three-bedroom, according to the nonprofit.

The median home price for May in Redmond was $540,000.

Rooted Homes launched the lottery earlier this year but decided to extend the deadline to June 30 with hopes to get a more robust pool of applicants. Destiny Wilder, administrative coordinator with the nonprofit, said the homes got “strong initial interest,” but ideally there would be twice as many applicants as homes in case people drop out during the closing process.

“We also know that the current economic and political climate has created a sense of uncertainty for many families,” Wilder said in an email. “Big decisions like homeownership can feel intimidating right now, even with available down payment assistance. That said, we believe stable, affordable homeownership offers people a chance to take control of their housing future—locking in predictable payments and gaining long-term security in uncertain times.”

The nonprofit is offering $30,000 in down payment assistance for qualified veterans and $18,000 in down payment assistance for all others. To qualify for a home, households must earn at or below 80% of the area median income in Deschutes County, or about $84,000 for a household of four.

The homes come with rooftop solar, passive energy-saving designs and a full suite of appliances, including a washer and dryer, according to a press release.

Applicants are also required to attend an information session with the nonprofit, get approval from a lender and have at least 1% of the home purchase price in savings.

“Most of our applicants are working individuals and families who contribute significantly to the local economy—educators, healthcare workers, hospitality staff, construction workers, and nonprofit employees—who are often priced out of traditional homeownership options despite stable incomes,” Wilder said.

To draw down that price, Rooted Homes uses the land trust model, meaning the nonprofit maintains ownership of the land the home sits on, but not the home itself. It also uses grants and loans to keep the price down.

For more information on Rooted Homes and Rooted at 19th, visit https://rootedhomes.org/communities/redmond.