2000 Best Practice Awards
"Local" Winners: Spokane Area Office
2000-2367 Kennewick Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area (NRSA)
Kennewick, Washington
Contact: Barb Carter (509) 585-4279
A Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area
was established to assist in the revitalization of the original downtown
area of Kennewick. The City of Kennewick partnered with the 
Downtown
Kennewick Association to redevelop this area. The plan combined HUD’s
suggestions for establishing a Neighborhood Revitalization Strategy Area
(NRSA) with the National Center for Historic Trust’s Main Street Program.
This program was developed to save historic commercial architecture, but
it has become a powerful economic development tool as well. It improves
economic management, strengthens public participation and makes downtown
a fun place to visit while at the same time recruiting new businesses and
rehabilitating buildings.
A Public Private Partnership was formed with
the business owners association, an economic development agency, the local
port district and the city as well as the area’s residents. A 
vision
plan was developed, a Downtown Manager was hired to implement the plan
and the area has become the focus for the City’s economic efforts
for the next few years. Funds were allocated from the City’s CDBG
and HOME entitlements and State of Washington Transportation dollars. Once
the momentum started to show results, private investors stepped forward
and started making major investments in their buildings. This has resulted
in more customer traffic creating a need for more employees. Area residents
are finding new job opportunities and the Downtown Area has become a more
attractive place to work and to live.
Click here for more
photos and information on projects.
2000-855 Third Annual Community Congress
on Race Relations
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Vince Lemus (509) 625-6263
Spokane’s Third Annual Community Congress
on Race Relations not only addressed HUD’s mission to fight for fair
housing, but continues to empower people and communities by addressing
racial equity in every social, economic, political, spiritual and educational
aspect. The event is a best practice because it generates significant impact
on those it is intended to serve citizens. Not only can efforts be replicated
nationally, but it demonstrates the effective use of partnerships. The
event’s success was solely due to the collaboration and creativity
of public and private partners working together to address barriers to
equity, and implementing action plans to unify the community.
2000-38 Spokane Homeownership Resource
Center
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Diana Telford (509) 343-7472
The Spokane Homeownership Resource Center
is a non-profit organization, funded and developed by both public and private
sector. Established and organized in early 1999, the resource center exists
to serve the public and to help increase the local rate of homeownership
through outreach and counseling, and to provide much needed information
and referrals to potential home buyers in the community. Today with low
interest rates and a strong economy, many Americans are convinced that
homeownership is not within their reach, and their desire to own a home
is stronger than ever before. It has become evident that many potential
homeowners never begin the process because of lack of information, misinformation
or the presence of real or perceived purchasing obstacles.
In order to successfully overcome these factors,
Spokane Homeownership Resource Center provides the public, the much needed
information, education and problem solving help. The end result, from this
provided service, will be more homeowners in the Spokane area and a strengthening
of the Spokane community and regional economy.
For more information visit the Spokane
Homeownership Resource Center (http://www.shorc.com/) website.
2000-243 Spokane Association of Realtors
– Fair Housing Committee
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Don Walker (509) 326-9222
Fair Housing Month – Throughout the
year, emphasis is directed toward the importance of fair and equal housing
in the Spokane area. However, special effort was expended this April to
observe the 32nd year of the adoption of the Federal Fair Housing Act.
The City and County of Spokane joined with The Spokane
Association of Realtors (http://www.spokanerealtor.com/index.htm) to promote and recognize the law that prohibits
discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sex,
family status and disability and encourages fair housing opportunities
for all citizens. During the month several hundred radio and television
30-second spots were aired, a number of buses carried Fair Housing signs,
and members of the SAR Fair Housing Committee made visits to open houses
to ensure that they comply with all of the HUD rules for REALTORS. Additionally,
the annual third-grade poster and essay contest at local schools will be
judged soon and winners honored. The theme is "What My Home Means
To Me". The 3rd Community Congress on Race Relations was held Friday,
April 28 at the Gonzaga University Center.
This program is a best practice because it
results in a greater overall awareness of the Fair Housing Act.
2000-244 Spokane’s Consolidated Community
Development and Housing Plan
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Michael Adolfae (509) 625-6325
Community Development Neighborhood Reports
– In order to encourage greater participation in the development of
the Consolidated Community Development and Housing Plan, the city of Spokane
works with 13 target low-income neighborhoods in planning for a percentage
of the CDBG funds. In total, the 13 neighborhoods develop needs and plans
for $1 million of their $4.5 million allocation.
This method of interaction encourages and
results in greater community involvement and ownership. Community members
feel a greater sense of pride and involvement. Community boards survey
their neighborhoods, prioritize allocations.
For more information visit the City
of Spokane's Community Development (http://www.spokanecity.org/commdev/index.htm) website.
2000-36 La Clinica
Pasco, Washington
Contact: Guillermo V. Castaneda (509) 547-2204
LaClinica is a One-Stop Center providing
two major services; housing and medical care. During the 1999, the clinic
had nearly 70,000 patients visits for care. Their plan is to expand into
doctors making "Corporate calls". This means that doctors would
come to a place of business to provide health care in the business setting.
It would be a working agreement between the business and La Clinica to
keep the work force and their families health.
Since 1993, LaClinica has been fortunate to have helped 88 families build
their homes. They have taken working low-income families from dilapidated
housing and neighborhoods, taught them about basic safety and construction
and family budgeting and, using their own labor put them into their own
homes. The have repeatedly had to overcome NIMBY issues when constructing
homes. In addition to providing housing education/counseling and self-help
new construction skills they are expanding into renovation of existing
housing, which will helpto spruce up poor neighborhoods.
2000-268 Raising the Roof all Year Long
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Officer Bonnie Sherar (509) 625-4103
Community Builders in Spokane, Washington
used HUD’s "Raise the Roof Day" as an opportunity to spotlight
an ongoing community effort—the rehabilitation of the Martindale Apartment
complex. The project began before the "Raise the Roof Day" and
involves community residents rehabilitating vacant apartments in the building
through volunteer work and donated materials. The project has begun to
change attitudes among tenants and neighborhood residents and to create
a new sense of community.
The "Raise the Roof Day" event
gave the project greater citywide visibility and generated additional positive
feeling. After the event, which involved some 100 volunteers working in
the building, rehabilitation work has continued, led by the local police
department and by neighborhood groups. Goods and services have been donated
and a fund has been set up for similar community rehabilitation projects.
The project has been very successful overall and HUD’s contribution
was to spotlight it and give it publicity and additional credibility.
2000-355 Fair Housing Video Production
for the City of Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Dale Strom (509) 625-6321
The Community Development Program of the
City of Spokane has developed a video for making an affirmative statement
of its support of fair housing. Through a formal contract, the City paid
for and has actively developed the contents and production of a video of
about 17 minutes in length to promote fair housing. The video will be released
in two versions, consumer and industry. The consumer version will be translated
into Spanish, Vietnamese, and Russian and possibly others. The draft version
has been airing on Cable TV. Copies of the final version will go to local
schools, churches, community centers, libraries, etc.
2000-492 Cooperative Housing Rehabilitation
Gloria Etherington was given a house, located
at 124 E. 10th Ave., Kennewick, WA., by her Mother. The property that she
grew up in had been subject to Code Enforcement action and had been an
eyesore for years, but Gloria and her husband had hopes of renovating and
moving in. They had nearly completed repairs to the foundation when their
name came up on the City's HOME Rehab waiting list.
The initial inspection determined that the
project would require more work than the program limit would allow. Also,
the health of a family member required handicap-accessibility construction.
A local manufacturer of XRF analyzers donated the testing for lead paint,
and a positive result for the existence of lead paint and asbestos was
the final straw. There was no way the project could proceed using professional
contractors to do the work. It was determined that the most cost-effective
way to proceed with the project was to demolish the original structure
and rebuild from the foundation up.
Discussions began with Habitat for Humanity-Kennwick
for constructing the home in conjunction with their organization. Regulations
precluded this project from being considered a "Habitat" house,
so they agreed to do the project as a fundraiser.
2000-716 Benton-Franklin Housing Network
Pasco, Washington
Contact: Bobbie Littrell (509) 547-3581
The Housing Partners located in Benton &
Franklin Counties, Washington, recognized the need to work together in
meeting the needs of their communities. They formed a 501 (c) (3) non-profit
"Benton-Franklin Housing Network".
The corporation's activities will include:
1) Assisting agencies and non-profit organizations in their efforts to
promote and provide appropriate and affordable housing to very low and
moderate income individuals in need of housing; 2) Facilitating communication
among agencies and other organizations that develop and promote housing
for very low to moderate income individuals; 3) Providing technical assistance
to non-profit organizations in their efforts to facilitate the development
of very low to moderate income housing projects, such as, assistance to
include assistance in grant writing, regulatory interpretation, project
design and financial packaging; 4) Providing linkage and facilitating collaboration
between and among non-profit organizations and public and private entities
involved in the provision of low income housing and related essential human
services; 5) Serving as a resource for information and written material
on matters as they relate to very low to moderate income housing development,
and a vehicle through which member organizations share relevant information;
6) Engaging in public education activities designed to better inform the
community at large on matters relating to affordable housing issues.
2000-1357 Richland Railroad Spur
Richland, Washington
Contact: Josiane Woods (509) 942-7595
Downsizing at Hanford has resulted in the
loss of more than 6,000 jobs in Richland, WA in the last five years. This
has resulted in significantly reducing employment opportunities for low
and moderate-income households. To offset Hanford job loss, the City of
Richland and neighboring jurisdictions have initiated an aggressive industrial
development program focused upon the Horn Rapids Industrial Park.
This project involves the construction of
10,400 linear foot rail spur, to provide access to manufacturing plants
in the Horn Rapid Industrial Park in Richland, WA, to the mainlines of
the Union Pacific and Burlington Northern Railroads. This rail spur allows
companies to transport their product from point of manufacture in the Horn
Rapids Industrial Park to markets throughout the U.S. and overseas. The
goal of this project is to create family wage jobs for low and moderate-income
persons experiencing job loss due to downsizing at the Hanford Nuclear
Reservation.
2000-1416 Pine Villa, Spokane County, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Tim Crowley (509) 477-4488
This community is challenged by limited resources
to develop new affordable family units, so they decided that they could
not afford to lose the Section 8 housing complex known as Pine Villa. The
community formed Pine Villa Partnership, which would represent an innovative
financial approach to housing preservation in order to preserve the 50
units of existing affordable Section 8 low-income family housing that would
have otherwise become market-rate family housing units. Spokane
Neighborhood Action Programs (SNAP) (http://www.snapwa.org/), DKB and HHB Foundation, Spokane
County Affordable Housing Program, HUD, and Washington Trust Bank came
together to preserve the Section 8 housing complex knows as Pine Villa.
Built in the 1970s, and located just outside of the City of Spokane limits,
Pine Villa contains 50 units of family housing.
2000-1692 Northwest Regional Facilitators
Self-help Homeownership Opportunity Program (SHOP)
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Linda Hugo (590) 484-6733
The first phase of this new construction
homeownership program began in 1994 as HomeStarts, a Northwest Regional
Facilitators (NRF) pilot program with the Washington State Housing Finance
Commission (WSHFC) and Seafirst Bank as financial partners. In the second
phase of the program, NRF developed a revolving loan fund and a second
source of deferred second mortgages both funded by the Washington State
Department of Community, Trade, and Economic Development Housing Trust
Fund Unit.
Like HomeStarts, SHOP programs target families
who cannot attain home ownership through conventional means and who are
willing to contribute substantial amounts of sweat equity by assisting
in construction of the home. This sweat equity is then used in lieu of
cash down payment and closing costs.
2000-1841 The Boys & Girls Club of
Pasco, WA
Pasco, Washington
Contact: Kellee A. Magnuson (509) 543-9980
When the Boys and Girls Club opened in this
community, the City was supportive of its efforts. The City realized that
working with the Club should be a major objective to enhance the quality
of life for Pasco residents. Though there are a variety of after-school
sports and instructional classes available for kids, many of these required
high membership fees, "making the team" or a fee-based program
that many kids could not afford. Boys and Girls clubs have affordable membership
fees at only $5 per year, which make programs accessible and affordable
for all families. The fact that current facilities are located in central
Pasco, also means that kids can access services by walking to the Club.
The School District has continued demonstrating
support through transportation to the Club from 6 elementary schools in
the surrounding area. The Boys and Girls Club provides a variety of enriching
activities that range from athletic activities, arts and crafts, leadership
classes, social recreation, music lessons, computer lab and homework help.
Furthermore, Clubs provide vocational and personal betterment classes,
including drug and alcohol prevention, violence prevention, peer mediation,
and career prep classes.
2000-1916 Ownership Transformed to Preserve
Affordable Housing in Downtown Spokane
Spokane, Washington
Contact: Sheryldene Rogers (509) 777-6352
Park Tower is a multifamily housing high-rise located in
downtown Spokane, WA. It is one of the few multifamily high-rises in the
state of Washington, with 185 units specifically for the elderly and disabled.
The owners intended to sell the project to a nonprofit under the Preservation
Program, however funding expired. Various partners still wanted to sell
their equity, but it was impractical to refinance because of the negative
effective rate under the Section 236 mortgage. Recognizing the need to
preserve affordable housing, the Managing General Manager - Don Barbieri,
formed a non-profit foundation - DKB & HHB Foundation - to operate
Park Tower then bought out the limited partners.
2000-2543 Transitional Living Center
Spokane, Washington
Contact: June B. Shapiro (509) 625-6130
The Transitional Living Center (TLC) provides
15 units of housing, 
specialized child care, and comprehensive support
services to homeless women and their young children to help them become
and remain independent. Families are admitted based on homelessness and
their motivation, willingness, and ability to address the issues that have
resulted in homelessness.
TLC staff works with the family in collaboration
with other service providers to develop an individualized family treatment
plan which 
will guide the family to independent living. The
residents meet with their Family Support Advocate on a weekly basis to
set both long and short-term goals, work on budgets, learn time management
skills, coordinate services and receive referrals for appropriate community
resources. Other vital components of TLC's program include parenting and
life skills classes community service, resident council, and aftercare
services. TLC's childcare program, EduCare, provides developmentally appropriate
care with a specialized curriculum and highly trained staff.
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