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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Neva-Wood Cops Buy Old Homes For Substation

After being homeless for nearly two years, the 200-plus volunteers of Neva-Wood COPS are purchasing two old homes for their substation headquarters.

For the last 22 months they’ve been holding meetings and programs in their homes, at Glass Park and in Zion Christian Center.

Thanks to Community Development funds, the purchase of the two homes, at 4703 and 4707 North Addison, north of Wellesley, will give Neva-Wood COPS a chance to have a regular place to hold meetings and programs.

First, however, extensive renovations are needed.

Deborah Wittwer, an organizer for Neva-Wood COPS, doesn’t seem to mind.

“We’ve been waiting for two years,” Wittwer said, indicating that she could hold out longer.

Without a place to call home, Neva-Wood COPS still has been able to run fund-raisers with local businesses, a “take back the park” campout, and a graffiti patrol.

“It isn’t the building, it’s the community doing programs,” Wittwer said. “We found that out because we had to. When the building opens that won’t stop what we’ve been doing.”

Instead, she said, having a headquarters should enhance the activities.

Plans call for a basement that will connect the two houses to be used to tutor students who have been suspended from school, an activity currently in place at the Zion Christian Center, she said.

The blue corner house will emphasize mostly police business, with an office for the neighborhood resource officer and a probation officer.

The yellow house will be more volunteer-oriented.

The combined cost of both houses was about $82,000, Wittwer said. Labor and material costs are being raised through fund-raisers and donations from volunteers and area businesses.

, DataTimes