U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Office of Community Planning and Development


Consolidated Plan Contact

CITIZEN'S SUMMARY

Spokane County was entitled for receipt of an annual allocation of Community Development Block Grant funds in 1988. In 1991 the County also became entitled for HOME Investment Partnership funds. The jurisdiction is entitled as an Urban County Entitlement and is comprised of a large unincorporated area and 10 small cities. Activities are selected and funds are allocated for all activities through an annual competitive request for proposal process.

Action Plan

The Spokane County Consolidated Plan describes how Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) Entitlement funds and other available resources will be used in the small cities and unincorporated areas of Spokane County to address affordable housing and community development needs. The plan provides a strategy for improving the quality of local communities and the standard of living for persons who are lower income.

This Consolidated Plan Provides an inventory of housing resources, an overview of housing ownership and rental trends, and identification of gaps in needed housing services. It identifies and prioritizes local affordable housing, infrastructure, public facility, economic development, public services, historic preservation, planning, and other Community Development and Housing needs. The Plan contains the County's strategies, goals and objectives which will direct the expenditure of federal CDBG and HOME funds for the next five years. It identifies and describes proposed projects for the 1995 Program Year and allocates over $2.6 million in 1995 federal funds.

Citizen Participation

The primary method to involve citizens in the Community Development and HOME Programs is the use of a 20 member Citizen Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee review proposals and makes funding recommendations to the County. Application selection criteria, program objectives and policies and other program aspects are reviewed and adopted by this public group.

The Community Development Advisory Committee conducted two public meetings to provide an opportunity for citizens to identify and prioritize needs. Each of the 10 small cities which comprise the entitlement consortium conducted their own public hearings to inform area citizens about the Programs. The Community Development Division surveyed over 250 entities to request information regarding housing and community development needs. To ensure that the Plan addressed a variety of needs the Division meet with the City of Spokane, Spokane Housing Authority, all 10 local municipal governments, over 15 special purpose districts, local CHDO's, community action agencies, the County Health District and other County Departments to identify needs.

A narrative brief on the Plan was published in the Spokesman Review Newspaper on January 26, 1995 to announce the beginning of a 30 day public comment period. On February 13, 1995 the Division and the Community Development Advisory Committee conducted a public hearing for the purpose of obtaining public comment on a DRAFT Consolidated Plan. The Community Development Advisory Committee on February 23, 1995 considered all public comments prior to adopting the Plan. The final proposed Plan was forwarded to the Board of Spokane County Commissioners for their (and the public's) consideration and comment on or about March 14, 1995. Copies of the Plan are available at the Division and at local libraries. Over 200 copies have been distributed to interested organizations and individuals.


COMMUNITY PROFILE

Spokane County is a business, trade, and cultural center for the Inland Northwest, a 36-county region covering eastern Washington, northern Idaho and Oregon, western Montana and the southern sections of British Columbia and Alberta, Canada. The area is rich in natural resources, and both agriculture and forestry are important industries to the local economy. There are over 28,000 farms in the area, 12,000 retail and wholesale businesses, and 2,500 manufacturing enterprises. The health care industry is the single largest employer in Spokane County.

Spokane County has a population of 366,000 persons. Approximately 49% of the County's population resides within the City of Spokane. The City of Spokane has its own entitlements for CDBG and HOME funds and this document does not affect any planning completed by that jurisdiction. The unincorporated area has about 46% of the County's population. The remaining 5% of County residents live within the ten small cities of Airway Heights, Cheney, Deer Park, Fairfield, Latah, Medical Lake, Millwood, Rockford, Spangle, and Waverly. Approximately half of the County's population (excluding the City of Spokane) live in the unincorporated Spokane Valley area and 19,000 residents live in the ten small cities and over 4,800 people live at Fairchild Air Force Base. Spokane County residents live in dense unincorporated neighborhoods, low density suburban developments, small cities of 100 to 8,000 persons, and rural areas.

70% of the population of the unincorporated area and small cities is made up of small families (,less than 4 persons) and 11% are large families of more than five persons. Elderly households make up approximately 21% of the County's households. The County has approximately 10,179 residents who are members of an ethnic minority group. Spokane County's ethnic and racial minority population is increasing at a faster rate than the general population. Since 1980, the minority population in the unincorporated area and small cities has increased by 38%, while the general population increased by 10% in the same time period.

Nearly half (45%) of the minority population in Spokane County reside outside the City of Spokane. This figure is even higher for specific minority groups. Over half of the Hispanic population (52%) reside outside the City of Spokane. Together, the minority population makes up almost 6% of the unincorporated area and small city population of the County. Much of the minority population is young (under the age of 18). The majority of Spokane County's minority-headed households (54%) are renters. Spokane County has no significant areas of low income or racial concentration.

More than 7,800 County households have incomes of less than 50% of the area median income. 74% of the very low-income renter households and 28% of very low- income homeowners are paying an excessive portion of their income for housing. The number of very low-income renters in Spokane County is expected to increase by 600- 700 during the next five years.

Spokane County has almost 11,000 low income households (51% - 80% of the Spokane area median income). 5,300 of these low income households own their own home and the balance are renters. 6,000 low-income Spokane County households pay more than 30% of their income for housing and 2,600 of these households pay 50% or more of their income for housing. A third of both renters and owner- occupants pay more than 30% of their income for housing.

More than 5,700 County households have an income at 81% to 95% of median family and 2/3 of those households are homeowners. 23% of those households pay an excessive portion of their income for housing.


HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT NEEDS

Conditions

The Spokane area median family income for a household of 4 is $36,500. The unemployment rate for the winter of 1995 is estimated to be 5.4 percent which is slightly higher than in the previous year. Retail, service, and health industry jobs are leading in number of persons employed and growth of new jobs. Recently the average sales price for a single family home dropped for the first time in several years. Until that drop the Spokane area was, for several years among the nation's leading real estate markets in regard to increases in the costs of housing. The current average sales price for a single family home is $110,890. The current rental vacancy rate is 4.5 percent. Two unincorporated areas, the northern and eastern (Spokane Valley) portions of the County are the most active sites for development of new single family and multi-family units. A total of 761 building permits were issued during this quarter.

Housing Needs

Information on housing conditions in Spokane County suggests that approximately 11,200 housing units, or 16 percent, need some amount of rehabilitation. Of those units, approximately 22 percent are rental units and 78 percent are owner occupied. An additional 1,260 units are considered to be of such poor condition that they are unsuitable for rehabilitation.

Market Conditions

There are a total of 73,434 year round housing units in Spokane County's small cities and unincorporated areas. Most of the housing units are single family homes. Of these, 66,472 were occupied at the time of the 1990 Census. Twenty-eight percent of the occupied stock is rental housing. Owner occupied units make up 65% of the housing stock.

The average monthly rent for a two-bedroom/single bath unit increased from $298 in 1988 to $534 in 1994, representing a 79% increase. Larger units are rented for considerably higher amounts, from $390 in 1988 to $688 in 1994 . Average rents for units are widely variable throughout the County, ranging from $534 (for an average two bedroom unit) in the Spokane Valley to $325 in the town of Fairfield.

The average household earning 30% of the median family income can only afford to pay $238 per month for a typical 2 bedroom rental unit. Rent charged for that unit averages $534 per month. Likewise, those households at 50% of the median family income would have $397 per month available for housing and the average household in the 80% of median income bracket would have $635 a month for housing costs.

From 1988 to 1994 the average sales price for new and existing housing increased from $53,601 to $102,848, a 91.90% change. The rate of home ownership in Spokane County has decreased from 69% in 1970 to 64% in 1994.

Affordable Housing Needs

Housing needs are related to two problems: 1) affordability for lower income persons and 2) the quality of the units occupied by lower income persons. Affordability is defined as a households ability to obtain rental or owner-occupied housing and basic utilities for no more than 30 percent of that household's income. The quality of the housing unit is described as standard or substandard. Standard quality means that the unit is safe, structurally sound, and well maintained. Substandard units are unsafe, unsanitary, over crowded, and need rehabilitation. Over 22,978 households in Spokane experience one or both of these affordable housing needs.

Homeless Needs

The isolated rural areas, the predominance of County and State parks, and the small cities assist many County homeless families to remain anonymous. County homeless families turn less often than urban families to City of Spokane-based social services to seek shelter or other help. Spokane County (outside the City of Spokane) has only 18 shelter beds in 5 separate shelter units and most of these units are in urbanized unincorporated areas. Many areas of the rural County and smaller cities do not have local police forces, central mental health, alcoholism treatment, veterans' affairs or other health services, or social service organizations which provide for early identification of homeless persons. Homeless families and persons in Spokane County have priority needs for outreach and assessment. Homeless families, particularly those with minor children, have a priority need for emergency shelters and permanent housing.

Public and Assisted Housing Needs

Twenty-eight public housing units have been located in Spokane County, outside the City of Spokane. The public housing units are of the scattered-site type and are not concentrated in any one area of the County. Most homes are 3 to 4 bedroom units. One County unit is fully accessible to a household with a family member who is disabled. The waiting list for public housing is open and currently there are 466 persons waiting for assistance. Spokane Housing Authority has an agreement with the 10 small cities to provide certificates or vouchers to eligible persons in need per their position on the SHA waiting list. The reported requests for assistance are predominately for tenant based rental assistance to be used in market rental properties rather than development of publicly owned housing. Spokane County does not currently, as does not (in the future) anticipate owning and operating any public housing.

Barriers to Affordable Housing

Producing rental housing affordable for households with the very lowest income requires deep public subsidies. Developed housing's operating budgets cannot support debt service and maintain affordable rent and deeper public subsidies will result in fewer units produced. Home repair funds are sufficient to make only the most critical health and safety repairs. Increased housing prices continue to limit the number of home ownership opportunities for lower income households. Homelessness prevention programs in Spokane County are limited. Improvements to the existing prevention services will be costly and difficult to implement. Most households wait too long before seeking assistance and the need for prevention services far outweigh available funds. State and local jurisdictions are experiencing financial distress. Meanwhile, the competing demands for publicly funded infrastructure improvements increases.

Fair Housing

Spokane County participates in an annual ad campaign which provides persons with information regarding their rights under Fair Housing laws. The County also provides funding to a Legal Services Center to provide for free legal assistance for households or individuals who have been discriminated against when obtaining or retaining housing.

Lead-Based Paint

It is estimated that potentially 31,000 very low and low income renters and 36,662 very low and low income owner-occupied households could be residing in a home which has been painted with a lead based product. However no case of poisoning has been reported to the mandated Health District authorities. Despite the lack of reported incidents in Spokane County, the Community Development Division continues to stress prevention and awareness of the dangers of lead based poisoning by requiring that all funded CDBG and HOME Subrecipients undertaking projects that involve rehabilitation of structures built prior to 1978, own or operate transitional housing, or emergency shelters must provide notification of the dangers, symptoms, and treatment options regarding lead-base paint poisoning.

Other Issues

none

Community Development Needs

The highest reported priority needs are predominately infra-structure, particularly water storage, distribution and source systems, centralized sewage collection and treatment systems, paving of unpaved roads, development and improvement of neighborhood centers, services for elderly, disabled persons and youth, transportation, child care services and employment training. Economic development options for small and micro business enterprises and planning were also reported as high priority needs.

Coordination

Spokane County continues to operate as an Urban County Consortium and as such has developed partnerships with dozens of special purpose districts, 10 small cities, County departments, the City of Spokane, citizens groups, and not-for-profit organizations. The Program will also be undertaking new outreach methods to develop relationships with for profit businesses in regard to developing viable economic development strategies and projects.


HOUSING AND COMMUNITY
DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY

Vision for Change

A proposed amount of over $10,000,000 in CDBG funds and $2,750,000 in HOME funds will be allocated during the next 5 Program Years. Additional private and government moneys will also be leveraged to invest in the communities of Spokane County. This investment is vital to the long term economic and social health of the ten small cities and large unincorporated area that comprise Spokane County. Hundreds of housing units will be improved, thousands of feet of water main will be constructed, wells will be dug, roads paved and hundreds of children in poverty will be provided with food and warm shelter.

The Spokane County Community Development Block Grant and HOME Program will provide incentives for Citizens, area governments, and organizations to develop a consensus on how CDBG and HOME funds can be responsibly and prudently used to improve the urban, rural and small City neighborhoods of Spokane County.

The principles of environmental guardianship, nurturing of work ethic, preservation of families and communities of people, protection of those who are unable to protect themselves, and development of opportunities which open options to all those who wish to improve their community and home environments will provide the keystone for consensus actions.

Housing and Community Development Objectives

Community Development Block Grant program goals to guide the allocation of funds to activities which will enhance the quality of life for low income residents within the incorporated areas and 10 small cities in the county by; 1) funding and implementing housing, public service, economic development, physical facility, and planning activities which primarily benefit very low and extremely low income persons; and 2) reducing the potential for displacement of extremely low, very low, and low income persons to occur as a result of program activities.

The purpose of the Home Investment Partnership Program (HOME) is to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing for low and very low, and extremely low income families, build local capacity to carry out affordable housing programs, and to provide for coordinated assistance to participants in the development of affordable low-income housing.

Housing Priorities

Spokane County will use HOME and CDBG funds for home repair programs to assist very low-income homeowners to obtain home repairs, accessibility modifications, rehabilitation, connection to centralized sewage collection and treatment systems, and other utility improvements. Assistance will be provided to help homeowners pay special assessments. Other activities will include home buyer assistance programs which provide reduced mortgages or down payment assistance for households at or below 80% of median income. Tenant based rental assistance may be provided for extremely low income persons transitioning from homelessness. Assistance may be provided to the development of multi-family rental properties in cases where insufficient units are produced by the private market. Spokane County will support applications for McKinney Homeless Assistance Programs and Emergency Shelter Grant funding to maintain operational support for existing family shelter systems. CDBG funds will be available to support victims of domestic violence and priorities established through the Continuum of Care Planning process.

Non-Housing Community Development Priorities

Support priority public services which promote self-sufficiency and empower the following lower income persons; 1) Children and Youth - child-care, education services, supervised recreational programs, and job skills training and placement services for youth, 2) Elderly Persons - transportation, food, home maintenance, mental and physical health care services which support independent living, 3) Homeless and Lower Income Persons - job training and placement programs, community center programs, and emergency intervention services including food, emergency shelter, neighborhood safety, counseling, and living skills development, 4) Persons with Disabilities - job opportunities, transportation, and opportunities that support independent living and 5) Disadvantaged Minority Persons - fair housing advocacy.

Spokane County will address public facilities needs by: 1) Providing an adequate, good quality supply of water through upgrading source, distribution and storage systems, 2) Providing adequate and safe collection and treatment of sewage, 3) Reducing the number of unpaved streets in residential areas and providing an adequate sidewalk system in areas where pedestrian safety is in jeopard, 4) Improving existing park and recreation facilities and increasing recreational opportunities in unserved areas, 5) Increasing the accessibility of public facilities by removing architectural barriers, 6) Restoring properties which have special historic, architectural, or aesthetic value, 7) Undertaking other activities which revitalize deteriorating or deteriorated neighbor hoods.

Spokane County will address economic development needs by; 1) Providing low interest loans to new or existing businesses which will create or retain jobs available to lower income persons in areas in which affordable and decent housing and other needed supportive services are available to workers, 2) Providing skills training, job placement and other activities which promote employment for lower income persons, and 3) Providing local infrastructure improvements including transportation facilities, child care facilities, paved roads, utilities services, or rehabilitation of commercial structures which are essential to development of industrial and other business activities.

Spokane County will address planning needs by funding water system planning, sewer lagoon planning, Growth Management Act mandates, activities which address fair housing needs or increase the capacity of local governmental entities and not-for- profits to conduct needed affordable housing and community development activities.

Anti-Poverty Strategy

Spokane County supports the goal of increasing self-sufficiency for individuals and families. Coordination of housing programs and other programs targeted to low-income households and economic development will enhance the effectiveness of Spokane County's anti-poverty strategy. As people move along the continuum from homelessness to independent living, services such as food, clothing, and health care are needed. Conditions that are associated with poverty must be addressed and stabilized in order to promote self-sufficiency and allow for families and individuals to move toward breaking the cycle of poverty. Spokane County will continue its efforts to develop and support programs that increase self-sufficiency through development of affordable housing, job training programs, education, treatment, advocacy and child care.

Housing and Community Development Resources

The Spokane County Consolidated Plan contains a table listing several dozen federal, state and local government sources in addition to various private resources available to increase the level of resources to address high priority housing and community development needs.

Coordination of Strategic Plan

Community Development Block Grant and HOME projects which meet identified needs are prioritized in several ways. Small Cities establish their own priorities through their own citizen participation process. Activities which address the identified needs of special purpose districts or other governmental entities are prioritized by the proposing entity based on long range plans and individual citizen participation processes. Needs which have been reported by other entities (individuals or enterprises responding to survey requests or in attendance at public hearings) are prioritized by Division staff, the Community Development Citizen Advisory Committee, and the County Commissioners. Prioritization generally follows the following criteria:


ONE-YEAR ACTION PLAN

Description of Key Projects

Listed below are a sample of projects. Over 58 projects will be undertaken during the 1995 Program Year.

MILLWOOD, TOWN OF - SEWER CONNECTION PROGRAM- Connection of single family owner-occupied housing units to the community centralized sewage collection and treatment system. Forty homes will be connected. $76,000 in 1995 CDBG funds have been obligated to the project. Millwood is an incorporated Town in census tract 105.01 and is located in the central, eastern part of Spokane County.

AIRWAY HEIGHTS, CITY OF - TRAFFIC LIGHT INSTALLATION- The City proposes to install traffic lights to handle vehicular traffic and protect pedestrians who are currently crossing a four lane highway which has no marked or lighted safety egress. $115,000 in CDBG funds have been allocated to the project. The City of Airway Heights is 66.7% LMI and 772 households will benefit from the improvements. Airway Heights is located in census tract 104.01 in the western part of Spokane County.

CARNHOPE IRRIGATION DISTRICT WATER SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT PROJECT- The district proposes to install 300 feet of 10-inch water main to connect mains. The project will improve area fireflow and potable water sources. All 1,750 district residents, including 1013 persons below 80% of MFI will benefit from the improvements. Carnhope Irrigation District is located in census tract 123 in the eastern urban, unincorporated area of Spokane County. $23,400 in 1995 CDBG funds will be provided.

SNAP FIRST TIME HOME BUYERS PROGRAM Down payment and home buying assistance will be provided to lower income first time buyers. Buyers will receive 6 hours of training to qualify for the Housekey Program, Fannie Mae's Community Homebuyers Program, DAP, or private lender's Home Partners Program. HOME funds will be used for ownership assistance, down payments and closing costs. $28,056 in 1995 HOME and an additional $121,944 in unobligated 1994 HOME funds will be provided to the project. SNAP is a Spokane County CHDO. SNAP administrative offices are located at 2116 East First Avenue, Spokane County. Homes may be purchased in any area of Spokane County.

SPOKANE FOOD BANK- CDBG funds will provide for purchase, re-packaging, shipping, storage & distribution of food at local distribution sites throughout Spokane County. $24,569 in 1995 CDBG funds have been allocated. Over 40,000 persons below 80% of MFI will receive food. Spokane Food Bank is located at 1234 E. Front Ave, Spokane, WA 99202.

Community Development Goals

The County will fund several projects which address physical accessibility for persons with disabilities to public buildings to ensure that such persons have full access to needed services. Projects include improving the Medical Lake City Hall, park restrooms in Cheney and Rockford and a community swimming pool in the Spokane Valley area. NOVA, a sheltered workshop for developmentally disabled persons will be rehabilitated to make work stations and areas accessible for workers with limited mobility. The Salvation Army SAFE Center for homeless families will be rehabilitated to ensure that emergency shelter facilities are available to County residents in crisis.

The Advisory Committee recommended human service projects which primarily serve low, very low, and extremely low income persons in the unincorporated areas and small cities of Spokane County. The Committee also considered the cost per person of the activity in relationship to other similar activities, the availability and use of other funding sources, and the degree to which the activity provides services that are effective, appropriate, and necessary to the beneficiary.

The SNAP Homeless Center has been funded to provide shelter and emergency assistance through provision of case management to homeless families. Funding has been provided to the Alternatives to Domestic Violence Program for providing shelter, legal advocacy and emergency intervention services to families who are in crisis due to domestic violence. Dominican Outreach Transitional Living Center provides transitional housing and supportive services to formerly homeless, single parents and their children Single Parent Outreach has been funded to provide vocational and educational opportunities and support to single parents and their families.

Recommended human service activities also include those which provide preventative services for persons or households who are at risk of becoming homeless or provide services to those persons who are homeless. Such projects include Spokane Legal Services for persons at risk for losing their shelter, income or utilities. Community Centers have been recommended for funding in Medical Lake, Cheney (Cheney Ecumenical), Airway Heights (West Plains Community Center), and county wide services provided through Cancer Patient Care. These programs and centers provide services which assist persons with basic subsistence by providing hot meals, health clinics, nutrition supplements, educational programs, crisis intervention, family programs and/or child care, and other essential human services to homeless persons, elderly, minority, disabled, and lower income persons and children. Lilac Blind Association which provides support to elderly persons with low vision and the North County Transportation Program which provides transportation where no public service is available ensure that persons at risk may live independently in their own homes.

Housing Goals

Spokane County will provide HOME Tenant Based Rental Assistance to households which meet national selection and local priority criteria. Beneficiaries are usually large families, develop mentally disabled or chronically mentally ill persons who are homeless or reside in substandard housing. HOME Funds will also be provided during 1995 to Inland Empire Residential Resources to develop affordable rental units for persons with developmental disabilities.

Homeless and very low income families will be provided the opportunity to obtain ownership of their own home through SNAP's Airway Towers Project and Homeownership Programs. CDBG funds have been provided to the Spokane Neighborhood Action Program's Minor Home Repair Program to fund emergency repairs that prevent lower income homeowners from becoming homeless due to unsafe or unhealthy housing conditions.

Assistance will be provided to over 300 households who cannot afford to connect to community infrastructure systems. Through the City of Millwood's and Spokane County's Community Aquifer Protection Assistance (CAPA) Program many households are improved by providing assistance with $3,500 sewering assessments and/or sewer system connection costs averaging $1,600 each.

Maps

MAP 1 depicts points of interest in Spokane County.

MAP 2 depicts points of interest and Low and Moderate Income Area Outlined.

MAP 3 depicts Low and Moderate Income Area Outlined and Areas of Minority Concentration.

MAP 4 depicts Low and Moderate Income Area Outlined and Percentage of Unemployment.

MAP 5, MAP 6, MAP 7, and MAP 8 depicts Neighborhood Level Project maps.

To comment on Spokane County's Consolidated Plan, please contact:

Jan Neidig-Leeper
Ph: (509) 458-2521

Return to Washington's Consolidated Plans.