SPOKANE VALLEY — The Spokane Valley City Council awards $4 million of American Rescue Plan funds to five local non-profit organizations providing affordable housing and homeless services. The funding supports outcome-driven strategies to prevent and reduce homelessness and a continuum of services identified as community needs in Spokane Valley.
Family Promise of Spokane was awarded $1,095,000 to establish a fast leasing and sustainable housing program for families at risk of homelessness. City-allocated funds for operational startup will augment additional financial support through Spokane County for property acquisition and a rental assistance program.
Volunteers of America Eastern Washington was awarded $500,000 to construct 18 new emergency shelter beds and 18 college dorm-style living units for young adults, extending its Spokane Crosswalk program to Spokane Valley. Professional case managers, teachers, health care workers, and chemical dependency counselors work with Crosswalk youth with the primary goal of connecting them to stabilizing and supportive services and ending their homelessness.
Reclaim was awarded $1,460,000 to acquire and startup two sober living transitional homes and a multipurpose business operations facility that will comprise a comprehensive homelessness prevention program. The self-sustaining operational model includes a thrift store job creation component.
Spokane Neighborhood Action Partners (SNAP) was awarded $471,700 for a 60-unit affordable senior housing on Broadway.
Habitat for Humanity was awarded $471,700 to acquire land for housing that will be designated permanently affordable.
Together, the five awards construct a strong foundation of services to address homelessness and support affordable housing in Spokane Valley. Mayor Pam Haley said City Council’s unanimous support of the allocation was a result of the transparent request for proposal process and the connection between concrete goals and measurable outcomes to reduce homelessness and increase affordable housing. “We’ve heard community feedback, collected data, and are confident this one-time funding will make a meaningful impact,” Haley said. “These non-profit providers address our core issues, have successful track records, and reach families, youth and seniors.”
Councilmembers also agreed on the difficulty of selecting only five proposals for the available $4 million of the 12 initiatives proposed, which amounted to a total of $22 million. There may be future opportunities to partner with proponents whose initiatives weren’t funded if they align with phased implementation of the city’s Homeless Action Plan, anticipated to be adopted by Council this summer.
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