Fellow Profile

Jessy Olson

“For farmworkers and their families in Oregon—and throughout the United States—thoughtfully designed housing can act as a vehicle for integration into a new community, economic stability and education for both children and adults. Housing is the most critical need for this very low-income population, and this fact should only emphasize the role that design plays in the development of projects that address such a basic need. It is not only the provision of shelter, but the foundation for a sense of identity and social connectedness that creates a strong and sustainable community.”

— Jessy Olson

Fellowship Host:
Farmworker Housing Development Corporation

As one of the Rose Fellowship’s newest members, Jessy Olson is thrilled to be part of a growing network of conscientious and responsible designers who are advocates for sustainable architecture on all levels. Jessy particularly values design that integrates a community’s needs with the environmental, cultural and economic conditions.

A recent graduate of the University of Oregon with a Bachelor of Architecture and the recipient of a Walter G. Brown Student Grant for study in Nagoya, Japan, Jessy has assembled her academic and professional experiences from across the fields of sustainable design and development. She has been involved with the design and implementation of projects in both rural and urban environments, from green custom homes in the Northwest and prefabricated shelters in Tokyo, to LEED-accredited, mixed-use, high-rise developments in downtown Portland, OR, and migrant farmworker communities in Southern Oregon.

Jessy’s host, the Farmworker Housing Development Corporation (FHDC) has been working on building its in-house development capacity, and Jessy is a valuable addition, especially in terms of design development, feasibility and market analysis, and construction oversight. Her work also keeps her in close contact with Enterprise. “I am currently working on two projects with Enterprise, both of which have pending grants,” she says. “We are applying for a Green Communities grant for our Nuevo Amanecer rehab project, and a Section 4 Capacity Building grant for our office renovation. The Portland Enterprise office has provided me with mentoring and development guidance, especially through their Green Communities program, and I hope to develop this relationship further.”

Enterprise Community Partners