Commerce Department Announces Historic Grant Round
The grants will support 40 affordable housing projects in at least 16 counties across Evergreen state.
SPOKANE, Washington – The Washington State Department of Commerce announced that it will be providing a historic grant to dozen of residential projects across Evergreen state.
According to a press release from the Department of Commerce, the grant will support 40 affordable housing projects in at least 16 counties across the state.
Three residential projects in Spokane were approved for the grant, including:
- Habitat for Mankind: $ 600,000 awarded
- Spokane Housing Ventures: $ 1,450,000 awarded
- Commonwealth Agency Inc .: Awarded $ 2,200,000
Two other residential projects in Spokane, Community Frameworks in Airway Heights and Volunteers of America, have been put on the waiting list. Community frameworks in Spokane Valley and Proclaim Liberty were rejected.
The awards total nearly $ 131 million and support the acquisition and development of over half a billion US dollars in residential property projects.
The Traditional Housing Trust Fund (HTF) awards include 20 multi-family rental units, which will create or maintain 1,281 rental units, and 10 home ownership projects to build or support 166 homes for low-income people.
The HTF Rapid Capital Housing Acquisition program includes 10 projects for 487 new units for emergency or transitional housing. This corresponds to the purchase of a cumulative 15 buildings in order to immediately alleviate the housing shortage for homeless people.
“These housing investments are absolutely critical to addressing the many factors and circumstances that prevent people from finding or keeping safe, stable, affordable housing,” said Governor Jay Inslee. “Housing is a fundamental requirement for the safety and vitality of families and communities, and I appreciate how quickly Commerce is working to get these projects off the ground.”
The award-winning projects are aimed at households affected by homelessness and mobilize large amounts of local and private investment.
Units created or received include:
- 467 units of affordable housing in rural areas of our state;
- Over 1,000 units for housing the homeless;
- Around 700 units for people with chronic mental illnesses and people who need permanent supportive housing;
- Over 800 units for people and households with extremely low incomes (less than 30% of the median income in the region).
“The housing need is one of the most pressing priorities that we hear about from our local partners in every part of the state,” said Lisa Brown, director of Commerce. “Although specific needs differ from municipality to municipality, every region struggles with homelessness, the lack of affordable housing and unmet housing needs. The historic investments by lawmakers and the governor go far, but the scale of the problem requires the additional investments proposed by the governor. “