SPOKANE, Wash. — As Spokane tackles several issues, relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) were used to approve several projects in progress during Monday night’s Spokane City Council meeting. Here are some noteworthy approvals that took place.
Housing Funds
$10 million have been approved to fund 11 housing projects. These funds would be dedicated to housing low to moderate-income individuals in Spokane. $6 million is from the ARPA, while the rest will be funded by the local Sales and Use Tax for Affordable and Supportive Housing, and the local and state Sales and Use Tax for Housing and Housing-Related Supportive Services.
CHHS Board recommended the following proposals, applicants, amounts and new units. If awarded, all recipients must match the award amount if chosen:
- Liberty Park Phase II Expansion, Proclaim Liberty, $4 million, 54 new units;
- Permanently Affordable Homeownership, Habitat for Humanity, $1.8 million, 10 new units;
- Canterbury Court Renovation Phase III Completion, St. John’s Properties, $1.2 million, rehabilitation of 54 existing units;
- Thrive Center International Transitional Housing, Thrive International, $835,000, 123 new units;
- St. John’s Two Senior Housing, St. John’s Two, $720,000, 40 new units;
- Volunteers of America Permanent Supportive Housing, Volunteers of America, $621,000;
- Multilingual Supportive Housing Services for Low-Income Tenants, Tenants Union of Washington State, $324,000;
- Supportive Services for Survivors of Domestic Violence, Transitions, $151,562;
- Increasing Emergency Shelter Capacity to Serve Homeless Youth and Families, Family Promise of Spokane, $150,000;
- Housing Placement and Services for Domestic Violence Survivors, YWCA, $139,699; and
- Social Services Coordination for Residents of Subsidized Housing, Liberty Park Community Development Center, $46,800.
Recovery Funds
The City of Spokane was also awarded more than $80 million in recovery funds as part of the government’s ARPA fund. $27 million has been allocated as of Monday night across several parts of Spokane.
$5 million will go toward purchasing a building for a new municipal justice center.
“Our judges, our prosecutors, our public defenders are risking their lives every day because where they are working is unsafe,” Council member Lori Kinnear said.
$10 million is being earmarked for small businesses and non-profits, which took a hit during the pandemic. They’ll have a chance to apply for grants ranging from $20,000 to $60,000
"They took the big brunt of COVID, they stepped into a gap they were not prepared for and they rose to the challenge,” Council member Betsy Wilkerson said.
$5 million is being invested in higher education supporting the Innovia Foundation, which made a bold promise this May: To pay for the college tuition of every Inland Northwest student beginning with the class of 2024.
"We want to make sure our young people have identified a pathway to success and that we've broken down the barriers along that pathway for them to get there,” Innovia Foundation Executive Director Ben Small said.
"We're going to be able to look back in 10, 20, 30 years and say, ‘wow, we did something really good with those dollars,’” Council member Michael Cathcart said.
Police Vehicle Funds:
$3 million will be allocated to the police department for the purchase of fully electric or hybrid police vehicles.
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