History

The History of QUAD.

QUAD was founded in 1975 by E.W. “Bud” Myers, an appliance repairman who suffered a spinal cord injury from a diving accident in the Sandy River. Bud soon realized that the Portland area had no accessible housing or support services that would allow newly injured quadriplegics to adjust to their injury and become accustomed to living life with a major disability. 

 

What Bud lacked in experience and connections, he more than made up for with his unique vision and drive to accomplish his goals. Bud was able to bring together donors, contractors and, advocates and by 1980 they opened Meyers Court, QUAD’s original community.

Myers Court received national attention for being America’s first independent living center not affiliated with a hospital or rehabilitation center.  Its pioneering, barrier-free design predated the wheelchair accessibility standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act by a decade. 

Since 1993, QUAD has focused on developing new housing projects:

  • In 1997,  Rolling Green Apartments opened 25 new units in Hillsboro.
  • Central Station Apartments followed in 1999 with 23 new units serving the community of Gresham.
  • Burnside Station Apartments opened for service in 2004 with 21 new apartments in East Portland.
  • Our latest building, East Portland’s Station 162, added 45 more units in January 2017. 

Today, QUAD‘s Board of Directors is focused on strengthening and sustaining the organization for the future, persisting in Bud’s original mission to provide the best possible combination of quality housing and independent living services while maintaining effective and judicious resource management. 

Looking Forward

QUAD plans to develop additional apartments in the future so that one day more people with physical disabilities will be able to find the resources they need to thrive and the independence they deserve. 

Garden
Join Us

Every donation helps provide people in need with accessible, affordable, livable housing

Scroll to Top
Skip to content