Panel to discuss downtown housing

Jim Kolva, a land consultant and community planner for more than 25 years, will be among the panel of local experts featured at this month’s meeting of the city of Spokane’s “Spokane Building Blocks” education series.

The session is scheduled for Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. in the City Council Chambers in the lower level of Spokane City Hall, 808 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.

This month’s focus will be on issues related to creating downtown and infill housing and how such housing can contribute to a sustainable and diverse community. Citizens, developers, designers, and appointed and elected officials are invited to attend.

Kolva will be joined on the panel by:

• Sali Combelic, founder of the nonprofit organization, Peaceful Valley Homefront. The group works to provide home-ownership opportunities for people with low to moderate incomes by building, acquiring and restoring residences within the Peaceful Valley neighborhood.

• Ron and Julie Wells, owners of Wells and Co. Their company has been responsible for numerous rehabilitations and adaptive reuses of historic properties throughout downtown Spokane.

• Brian Royer, business director for Northwest Regional Facilitators, a nonprofit group facilitating community building and affordable housing.

The sessions are taped and replayed on Cable 5, the city of Spokane’s government-access cable station that’s found on channel 5 on the Comcast cable system in Spokane. They are replayed at 11 a.m. Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Sundays and 2 p.m. Thursdays, except on the second Thursday of the month.

“Spokane Building Blocks” education series began in February: Previous topics have included: Planning Short Course: An overview of basic city planning and growth concepts; land use and transportation issues; environmental issues in Spokane; and urban design.