A resolution that the City Council of Vancouver passed on Monday, May 12, has allocated $11.15 million from its Affordable Housing Fund (AHF) to five housing projects. The allocated funds will support the development and preservation of affordable housing for qualifying households, especially for seniors, people with disabilities, and individuals exiting homelessness.
Highlights
- Five affordable housing projects that will create or preserve housing units in Vancouver, Washington, have been awarded funds by the city council.
- The funds have been allocated from the City’s Affordable Housing Fund (AHF).
- The projects will primarily focus on seniors, people with disabilities, and people coming out of homelessness.
Funds Allocated to Support Affordable Housing Projects
As per the announcement by the City Council of Vancouver, Washington, the approved resolution adopted the tabled AHF award recommendations. The approved funds will support the creation or preservation of 330 affordable rental homes.
The City received six applications requesting funding for housing production and preservation after the application process opened in January of this year. The total funding requested amounted to approximately $14.9 million. The Housing Advisory Committee ultimately recommended awarding $11.15 million across five of the projects. Project selection prioritized community need, project readiness, and project feasibility.
Benefiting Projects
The projects that have been selected will help households with 30% to 60% of the area’s median income find affordable housing. Listed below are the five projects that will receive funds from the AHF:
- Palindrome was granted $4.1 million for Artifact at Vancouver Heights District (site C). The funds will support the development of 109 new units in a new mixed-income development. They will have units reserved for people with disabilities.
- Vancouver Housing Authority will have $3 million granted for the Vancouver Heights District family housing at site P. The funds will be used for 80 new family housing units with supportive services and outdoor space.
- Mid-Columbia Manor shall receive $2 million for Smith Tower preservation. The existing 170 units at the iconic senior apartment building shall be rehabilitated to improve life/safety features.
- Community Roots Collaborative was awarded $1.05 million for its C-Roots Mill Plain Tiny Homes. The funds will go towards the creation of 20 new units of permanent supportive housing for households moving out of homelessness.
- Vancouver Housing Authority will receive $1 million for the Vancouver Heights District senior housing at site P. It will go towards building 51 new senior housing units with on-site services and community amenities.
Vancouver’s Mayor, Anne McEnerny-Ogle, said, “This funding underscores our continued dedication to tackling the affordable housing crisis head-on.” She continued to state, “The important projects supported by this investment will help ensure that the most vulnerable in our community have access to safe, stable, and affordable homes, fostering a more inclusive and resilient community.”
The City of Vancouver’s Affordable Housing Fund was established in 2016 with the goal of supporting affordable housing initiatives in the City. After voters approved a property tax levy back in 2023, the amount that came into the fund increased from $6 million to $10 million a year. The AHF application process remains open year-round, and the funding requests are reviewed on a quarterly basis.
