What More Can Be Done For Affordable Housing?

The community development coordinator in Hillyard was pleased to hear the Spokane Housing Authority plans to build 172 low-income apartments in her part of town.

“We need so much more low-income and senior handicapped housing in Hillyard,” Kay Preston said.

The same could be said in most of Spokane’s neighborhoods as it could in a lot of other cities.

In fact, 172 dwelling units hardly makes a dent in the overall need for affordable housing in Spokane County. But the resources available to meet the need are dwindling.

As it is, the two apartment complexes, to be known as Westfall Village and Heritage Heights, consumed $9 million in federal tax credits, more than one-tenth of all the credits available through the Washington state Housing Finance Commission.

And it is evident that Congress is not eager to expand such programs.

Knowing that affordable housing was and will remain a daunting challenge in this community, what suggestions do you have for meeting the need?

City-county consolidation: Version II

“It’s too bad we didn’t get former state Rep. Bill Day (as a hired lobbyist for Spokane County),” Renee Hensley said after the Board of Spokane County Commissioners decided not to hire him.

Added Hensley, “Maybe Roger Crum could donate some of his large amount of money that he makes to pay for some of Bill Day’s expenses, considering that he makes $93,000 a year as city manager.”

For clarification, Crum works for the city of Spokane and Day was being considered by Spokane County. However, Hensley’s emphasis seemed to be mostly on the former’s salary.

“And then there’s the poor lieutenant governor only making $62,700 a year for being lieutenant governor of the whole state - or at least helping take care of the western part.”

Zoo’s natural touch will be missed

“I think it’s disgusting that a city of this size can’t have a wild animal park without getting bad press from everybody and ruining it,” Dorothy Carter said about the closure of Walk in the Wild. “We need this natural touch with wildlife that we share the world with so that we’ll remember that we’re not the only ones on this planet.”

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