Kearney House was conceived by the Northwest neighborhood and executed by Downtown Community Housing. It was designed to fulfill the critical need for affordable family housing. Thousands of breadwinners working in the neighborhood were unable to find suitable housing for their families. Kearney House's 32 units, 25 of which are three-bedroom two-bath, were developed to meet this need. Large families with modest income working in the northwest district have found home here since the project's completion in 1996.

Its location in the heart of Northwest Portland ranks it as a "Walker's Paradise" with a Walk Score of 94 out of 100. It is one block from the streetcar, 3 blocks from Couch Park and the Metropolitan Learning Center, five blocks from Chapman Park and Elementary School. It is several blocks from Good Samaritan Medical Center and its associated clinics, is served by 4 bus routes. It has easy freeway access, is near shopping and personal services and in an area well served by social and human service agencies. It is in the heart of the city's major employment centers: downtown with its 80,000 jobs and the Northwest Industrial District with in excess of 20,000 jobs.

Designed by AIA Fellow, Bill Church, and constructed by Walsh Construction, this post-tension flat slab concrete structure with steel wall framing and durable materials is energy efficient and built to last. It has been impeccably maintained. And, the building is compatible with the historic character of its neighborhood.