About Orange Splot

Mission

Orange Splot LLC is a housing development company and general contractor with a mission to pioneer new models of community-oriented, affordable, green housing in Portland. We believe that one of the most important things we can do to minimize our ecological footprint is to live in less space with a community of neighbors, making it easy (and fun) to share resources.

Orange Splot LLC, creates small, functional and beautiful homes with interior and exterior common spaces. These communities are designed to foster interaction among residents and make it easy for neighbors to share resources and thereby live happier, simpler, less resource-intensive lives.

Although each Orange Splot development is unique, some common characteristics include:

  • Salvaged, sustainably produced, and durable building materials
  • Project locations where it’s easy to live car-free (or car-light)
  • Affordability achieved by arranging multiple homes on the same lot and keeping them modest in size
  • Preservation of trees and existing structures whenever possible
  • Beautiful, locally-produced artwork

Eli also provides technical assistance to communities interested in affordable infill housing options, which you can read more about under Services.

Why the strange name?

The inspiration for Orange Splot LLC comes from one of Eli’s favorite childhood books, The Big Orange Splot, by Daniel Pinkwater.

In the book, Mr. Plumbean lives on a block where all the houses are the same. Then a bird drops a bucket of bright orange paint on Mr. Plumbean’s house, and instead of cleaning it up he leaves it there and transforms the rest of his house to match his dreams. Unhappy neighbors try and get him to make his house fit in. But one by one, after talking with Mr. Plumbean and sipping lemon aid all night long, they re-build their homes to meet their dreams.