Poplar Community

Rooted Home’s third permanently affordable homeownership community. This SW Bend community will include six homes for households earning less than 89% AMI and one home with an Individual Tax Identification Number earning up to 120% AMI. These goal net-zero energy homes are two-story, three bedroom and two bath home designed by Ten Over Studio. The design aims to benefit the community and connect people to their surroundings while leaving a minimal environmental footprint. Each unit will be permanently affordable through the Community Land Trust model, serving the community’s affordable housing needs for generations. Community features include one electric bike per household, a shared common area and community gardens. The Poplar Community is in partnership with Housing Works of Central Oregon and will be built by Solaire Homebuilders.

Poplar Community is currently in development and is anticipated to be completed in early 2024.

Funders:

• Oregon Housing Community Services

• Washington Trust Bank

• City of Bend

• Deschutes County

• U.S. Bank Foundation

• Central Oregon Health Council

• Meyer Memorial Trust

• Bend Chamber of Commerce

• Solar for All

• Brooks Resources

ANIMAL WELFARE

Humane Society of Central Oregon

Our President and Vice President, Geoff and MaryLea Harris, and their two daughters have volunteered with the Humane Society of Central Oregon (HSCO) since 2017. They regularly foster rescue kittens to help them get adopted by their forever families. Did you know that MaryLea painted the large painting in the lobby at HSCO? You can see it on social media adoption posts when new pet parents pose with their fur babies on the lobby loveseat in front of it.

WOMEN IN THE ARTS

Local Scholarship

The MaryLea Harris Scholarship for Women in the Arts was founded in 2018. MaryLea is a Co-Owner and President of Solaire; she is also a local artist showing her paintings around Central Oregon at small businesses and First Friday events.

“I believe in investing in our future and giving as I go,” says MaryLea Harris. “I give a portion of my proceeds from the sale of my artwork every year to a graduating female high school student from Jefferson, Deschutes, or Crook County. It is a scholarship for a student interested in pursuing a career in the field of visual arts with a demonstrated interest in the field of visual art or pursuing a degree in Museum Arts, Art Education, or Graphic Design. This scholarship has traditionally been given in conjunction with the Central Oregon Scholastic Art Awards. This is an inclusive LGBTQ scholarship opportunity available for local female or female-identifying high school students.”

Solaire Cares

Solaire Homebuilders empowers each of our team members to make an impact in our local community through the Solaire Homebuilders Matching Gift Program. The program matches each team members charitable contributions at 4 times their donation up to $1,000 annually.

These are a few of the charities supported by Solaire Team Members:

Solaire Affiliations and Community Service

• Caldera High School DECA Club Fundraiser Sponsor for students to travel for state, regional, and national conferences, 2023
• Caldera High School DECA Club Winter Wonderland Sponsor, 2022
• Habitat for Humanity 2008 Blitz Build Participant
• Habitat for Humanity 2007 Fund Donor for Guatemalan Homes
• Solaire Salmon Run, 2006-2009 Title Sponsor
• Resource Mountain Film Festival Sponsor, 2007-2008
• Rotary International/World Community and Local Service Projects
• Chairperson Building Green Council of Central Oregon, COBA, 2007-2008
• Chairperson Green Building Committee of OHBA, 2007-2008
• Member National Sub-Committee for Green Building NAHB, 2007-2008
• Member Cascadia Chapter US Green Building Council, 2009
• Member NAHB and NAHB Remodelers
• Member Bend Chamber of Commerce, 1997-2009
• ENERGY STAR New Homes Ally, 2006-2009