Don’t miss a hot public hearing on how the city should spend federal funds for resources for low-and-moderate income people.
It’s Spring Break for Spokane schools, Spokane City Council and the Spokane County Board of Commissioners, so we’re all mostly off the hook for CIVICS this week. Enjoy some sunshine (err maybe snow), spend time with family, maybe become a paid RANGE member and take a rest to celebrate.
We only have ONE public hearing to tell you about this week, so let’s get into it before you fully check out for the week.
Community, Housing, and Human Services (CHHS) Board
Public Hearing
Starting Wednesday, the public will have a month to comment on the CHHS department’s plan for spending federal funds for resources for low-and-moderate income Spokanites.
The board will hold a public hearing to give information and solicit public comment on the “2023 Annual Action Plan for the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan.” The Annual Action Plan is the overview of how the city will spend its annual allocation of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funding in the 2023 fiscal year. The Consolidated Plan is the five-year planning document required by HUD where the city lays out their priorities and goals for using the Community Development Block Grant Program, HOME Investment Partnerships Program and Emergency Solutions Grant Program. Find Spokane’s five-year plan here.
Some of Spokane’s objectives in this plan include expanding affordable housing options, reducing barriers to food programs, expanding childcare services, and expanding diversion and prevention programs, among a list of other things.
It’s not clear how much money is expected to come from HUD. Last year, the city got about $18.5 million, so it’s a ton of money that funds many crucial programs in Spokane. The projects in the 2022 plan involved giving operating grants to local food banks and community centers, giving grants to Community Health Association of Spokane (CHAS) for a dental voucher program, a program to give low-cost loans for home repair for low-income people and a lot more.
A draft of the 2023 plan will be available here on April 5. You can see last year’s plan here to familiarize yourself.
You can comment at the public hearing or provide comments to the CHHS Department by phone at 509-625-6325 or by emailing spokanechhs@spokanecity.org. You have until May 5 to provide comment.
Agenda here (once posted)
Wednesday, April 5 from 4 to 6 p.m.
Council Briefing Center in the Lower Level of City Hall.
808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201
Spokane Human Rights Commission meets at 5:30 on Thursday in the city council briefing room. The agenda has yet to be posted but when more details are available you can find them here.
