City OKs street closures for Catholic Charities affordable housing project

Catholic Charities’ plans for an affordable housing complex in northeast Spokane won a critical green light from the city on Monday.

The Spokane City Council gave initial approval to close portions of East Cleveland Avenue and North Nevada Street, allowing the nonprofit to move forward with the Gonzaga Family Haven project it has envisioned.

With the council’s approval, “we’re able to do housing in a way that creates a better community,” said Jonathan Mallahan, vice president of housing at Catholic Charities.

The city allowed Catholic Charities to close the streets but retained easements for utility lines and access for a nearby building owned by Spokane Public Schools and a station operated by the Spokane Fire Department. The nonprofit has signed purchase and sale agreements for all other nearby property that would face restricted access due to the closure, Mallahan said.

The portion of Nevada Street that will be impacted is not the thoroughfare with the same name a block directly to the west, which begins where Hamilton Street ends.

“The Hamilton-Nevada arterial remains the same,” said Marlene Feist, a city spokeswoman.

The portion of East Cleveland Street that would be impacted is a dead end.

The Gonzaga Family Haven project will be built on property formerly owned by the City of Spokane. Last December, the city signed a $550,000 purchase and sale agreement with Catholic Charities, but it was contingent on the partial closure of nearby streets.

“This is a very involved project that’s going to provide dozens and dozens of affordable units for families,” City Council President Breean Beggs said. “It’s a great partnership with Catholic Charities and Gonzaga University, with all sorts of wraparound services near a new school.”

Catholic Charities envisions the new affordable housing units as a landing spot for families graduating from its Rising Strong program, which provides treatment and support to parents who are at risk of losing their children.

Gonzaga University and Gonzaga Prep, which is located nearby, have fully embraced the project.

Catholic Charities hopes to open Gonzaga Family Haven before the 2021 school year so students do not have to transfer schools midway through .

In addition to 72 units of affordable housing, the plans include a quarter-mile bike and pedestrian trail, a community garden, playground and a splash pad.

The project will feature amenities open to the entire community, not just the residents, Mallahan said. That includes not only the park and green space, but early childhood development through Head Start and some onsite medical services.

“We see this as a community asset,” Mallahan said.

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos contributed $5 million toward the project from his charity, Bezos Day One Families Fund.

The council approved of the street closures in a resolution Monday. In order to be finalized, they must be adopted by ordinance. Under the conditions set by the city, Catholic Charities must submit final plans for the street closures for approval by the city’s planning department before the council takes a final vote.