In The News - 5/19/2024
The Spokesman Review
TINY LOTS!
City’s innovative solution to housing crisis has potential homeowners thinking small while living large
A big impact on the housing shortage could come in a tiny way.
As housing prices have soared in recent years, some lower earners may think the dream of home ownership will remain out of reach.
But the city of Spokane is offering a new option – buyers will just have to think a little smaller.
“Now you could create a development where lot sizes are essentially as small as the house is,” city planning director Spencer Gardner said. “Within the development, you can have houses that are as close together as you want and sell them as their own lot.”
Signed into law at the beginning of this year, the unit lot subdivision ordinance allows a typical single-family residential property to be divided into as many lots as can fit with few limitations.
Small subdivisions are a different attack to the housing crisis than other city provisions.
Building Opportunity for Housing also became law earlier this year and allows developers to build rentals that have up to six units on a typical residential lot.
The provision was preceded by the pilot program, Building Opportunity and Choices for All, or “BOCA.”
“The part that we did not address through BOCA was this homeownership question,” Gardner said.
“We don’t want to orient our market only toward rental properties. So our goal with unit lot subdivision is to increase the opportunity for people to start building equity and own their homes.”
Home ownership remains the best way to build generational wealth and has long been the cause of racial wealth gaps, according to the U.S. Department of Treasury. Spokane’s unit lot subdivision got its name from similar ordinances in other parts of the state like Seattle, which has one in place, Gardner said. But Spokane’s program is different.
“I don’t know that other cities’ unit lot subdivision codes are quite as flexible as ours,” he said.
The new code has been widely supported, according to Gardner.
“We have taken the housing shortage very seriously. We’ve really let our council and mayor lead the way on finding ways to provide housing to the people that need it,” he said, adding this includes the administrations of both Mayor Lisa Brown and the previous mayor, Nadine Woodward.
“The former mayor was definitely involved and supportive of the changes we were making,” he said.
“And the current mayor has indicated support for what we’re doing as well.”
KREM
Residents at Catholic Charities apartment navigating rent increases
Catholic Charities wants to stress that in many cases the rent increases will be fully covered by vouchers and rent amounts will remain unchanged.
People living at the Catholic Charities' owned Cathedral Plaza are speaking out about a drastic rent increase.
About 20 people who live at the downtown property received the notices that were dated April 25.
"This rent increases gonna really tap me out," Gross said. "I won't be able to afford my car for one thing. My car's gonna go."
On top of the drastic increase, Gross and others were frustrated at the short notice. Many received rent increase notices just earlier this month.
"It's something I can't afford, because I live on a fixed income," Cathedral Plaza resident Margarita Visvydas said.
Visvydas is also seeing a nearly double increase in rent. She doesn't want to leave the Cathedral Plaza.
"I don't really want to move out because I like living downtown," Visvydas said.
KREM 2 reached out to Catholic Charities for comment on the increases and issued the following statement:
Catholic Housing Communities (CHC) is committed to providing safe, high quality, and affordable housing opportunities for families, seniors, veterans, and other people across Eastern Washington. Residents in some of our housing communities have been notified of rent increases that will become effective in 2024. The decision to adjust rents is driven by the need to ensure our properties are well-maintained and are aligned to the highest standards of safety, equity, and livability for residents. To make certain residents have ample opportunity to ask questions and discuss these changes, we are holding all-resident meetings in every building where residents may be affected by rent increases. Our staff are also going door to door for in-person contact with residents regarding the notices.