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Building costs too high

The Spokesman-Review

According to the Oct. 16 Spokesman-Review article, the Spokane Housing Authority has purchased and renovated the former Helena Apartments into low-income housing residences. They created 32 above-ground, one-bedroom units and three basement, one-bedroom units at a total cost of $7.7 million. This project breaks down to $220,000 per one-bedroom unit.

The Spokane Association of Realtors reported the median sales price for homes (not one-bedroom apartments) in Spokane in August 2009 was $169,975. If we were to assume 600 square feet per unit, that comes to $365 per square foot. Current building costs for new residential housing seem to be in the range of $150 per square foot, a far cry from $365.

The report causes some questions in my mind. How do you go about spending $220,000 on a renovation project for each one-bedroom apartment? How can you justify that cost to the taxpayers? Where does the hardworking taxpayer go to get answers?

Edie Baxter

Spokane

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