<img height="1" width="1" style="display:none" src="https://www.facebook.com/tr?id=192888919167017&amp;ev=PageView&amp;noscript=1">
Friday, March 29, 2024
March 29, 2024

Linkedin Pinterest

Vancouver organization receives $1.9 million in housing grants

It will build apartment complex for those with chronic, mental illnesses

By Bob Albrecht
Published: July 12, 2010, 12:00am

Vancouver is getting a slice of more than $550 million in low-income housing grants announced Monday by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Columbia Nonprofit Housing, 2500 Main St., Suite 205, will receive $1.9 million to build a new 14-unit apartment complex, according to Seattle’s HUD office. The new apartment complex will be overseen by disAbility Resources of Southwest Washington.

“This is great,” said Jim Baker, executive director of disAbility Resources, who learned the grant was approved Monday when reached by The Columbian. “It has been years since money has been given to Clark County for disability housing.”

The federal grants are provided under HUD’s Section 202, which funds housing for needy seniors, and Section 811, which covers individuals with disabilities. The local money will be earmarked entirely, though, to provide housing for individuals with chronic or mental illnesses through Section 811.

The apartment complex is expected to be constructed along Northeast Fourth Plain Boulevard west of Andresen Road. A projected completion date for the project was unavailable.

Baker said his organization sees between 3,000 and 4,000 people a year and the primary complaint is a lack of local housing options for individuals with disabilities.

“There’s such a shortage of housing for people with disabilities,” Baker said. “We will be able to get some of the people we work with into these apartments.”

Columbia Nonprofit Housing has the capacity to own properties, while disAbility Resources can only manage them, Baker said.

Aid to Northwest

Grants were awarded to cities and agencies throughout the northwest, including Renton, Spokane, Omak and Anchorage, Alaska.

“Thanks to these funds and to the hard work of our partners, we’ll be able to provide much-needed affordable housing resources for the elderly and people with disabilities across the region,” said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Mary McBride.

Cities in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Alaska received a combined $27 million.

“The Obama administration is committed to making sure our senior citizens and persons with disabilities have opportunities to live in decent, affordable homes,” said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. “Neither of these groups should ever have to worry about being able to find a safe place to live.”

Money for the two sections is released through capital advance programs, which typically require the grants to be repaid. In this case, though, the money does not have to be paid back as long as it is used to fund housing. The money can also be used for development, purchase and rehabilitation of housing units.

Loading...