Latest news with #LIHI
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tiny home village for homeless headed to Pierce County following zoning change
The plan to build a tiny-home village for the homeless in Spanaway can move forward following the Pierce County Council's vote to amend zoning codes that were obstructing the project. Director of the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI), Sharon Lee, told The News Tribune the village at 415 208th St. E. will have 40 to 50 homes. She said the homes will be 8 feet by 12 feet, insulated, with heat, air conditioning and furnishings. A hygiene trailer, community kitchen, community space, laundry room and case-management offices will be on site. There will be a fully fenced perimeter, security check-in office and 24/7 staffing, according to Lee. LIHI operates several tiny home villages in the Puget Sound region, including two in Tacoma. Lee said the Spanaway Village will be built in the same model as the tiny home village LIHI recently opened in Tacoma. LIHI has owned the land where the village will be for some time, but county code prohibiting temporary housing shelters from being built and operated in unincorporated Pierce County for more than 90 days was an obstacle. Last summer, now-Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello spearheaded an effort as the chair of the County Council to amend county code to allow for the Spanaway tiny home village and others like it to be established outside of Tacoma. Mello and his Democrat colleagues supported the effort to change the code in two separate ordinances that were opposed by Republicans on the council. Former Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier, a Republican, blocked the efforts with two separate vetoes, calling the proposed change 'unacceptable.' At the time, Dammeier told The News Tribune the zoning change would circumvent community involvement and would allow tent encampments of up to 60 people to move into residential neighborhoods with 'zero notice.' In June, the council passed an ordinance amending county zoning code and allowing temporary housing projects to exist for longer than 90 days. The ordinance passed along party lines by a vote of four to three and took effect at the beginning of July. While the effort by council Democrats to amend county zoning last summer was largely intended to allow a $2.5 million stability site for the unhoused to be established outside of Tacoma, that project seems to have fallen through. The effort was part of a recognition that Tacoma is host to the majority of homeless shelters in the county. Tacoma's deputy city manager Sonja Hallum previously told The News Tribune the city has about 80% of the region's shelter beds. 'In terms of current impact, the property in Spanaway is the only active project that was previously held up due to county code limitations,' Pierce County Human Service spokesperson Kari Moore told The News Tribune when asked about what projects the ordinance would impact. 'This change removes a major barrier and allows the project to move forward.' Moore said the county contributed just under $2.6 million towards the tiny home village project. According to LIHI, the property where the village will be built cost $1.55 million, the village will cost to set up $1.5 million, and $1.2 million annually to operate. Lee told The News Tribune LIHI anticipates opening the village by spring 2026. 'Having a temporary designation is critical and allows us to avoid costly and unnecessary permanent development requirements,' she wrote in an email. 'Our goal is to have occupancy by Spring 2026 but it depends on how quick the new permitting process is.' Lee said LIHI will work with Pierce County to refer residents to the Spanaway Village. LIHI's tiny home villages serve as temporary housing for those experiencing homelessness to get back on their feet while looking for permanent housing. According to LIHI, more than half of tiny home residents stay in villages for less than six months before transitioning.
Yahoo
25-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
A new 60-unit tiny home village for the homeless opens in Tacoma
A new 60-unit tiny home village has opened near Tacoma's South Hosmer Street, with the goal of providing transitional housing for those living in encampments. On July 23, local leaders and housing advocates gathered to celebrate the opening of the Kingfisher Village at 1824 S. 84th St. According to Low-Income Housing Institute, the site cost $2 million to construct. The tiny homes were built with help from volunteers, including high school students. According to Pierce County Human Services spokesperson Kari Moore, the county contributed more than $1.9 million to fund the property acquisition and some initial capital costs for the site development, including infrastructure, grading and utility installation. Some of the funding was made available to Pierce County through the Washington State Department of Commerce's Right of Way Encampment Resolution Program. The program, previously called the Rights-of-Way Safety Initiative, provides funding to local governments to support programs aimed at reducing encampments in public areas. According to LIHI, the village will serve individuals and couples that are experiencing homelessness in the Tacoma area. People are referred to Kingfisher Village as part of the state's Encampment Resolution program in cooperation with Pierce County and City of Tacoma. The facility is owned and operated by LIHI, one of the largest affordable-housing providers in the Puget Sound Region. LIHI has built and operated several tiny home villages to serve the unhoused around the region, including one at 6th Avenue and Orchard Street in Tacoma. John Brown, a program manager for LIHI, told The News Tribune the tiny houses are 8-feet by 12-feet wide, are insulated and contain heat and air-conditioning units. The homes will include beds, personal storage, outlets and Wi-Fi access. He said tiny homes are constructed at an estimated cost of between $6,000 and $7,000 each. The facility includes a shared common dining area and kitchen, laundry facilities, eight shared bathrooms and is ADA compliant with ramps and wheelchair accessible pathways. The village has one entrance and security cameras to ensure community safety, according to LIHI. Brown told The News Tribune that LIHI met with the Hosmer Business Association ahead of the opening of Kingfisher Village to collect community feedback. He said some business owners expressed concerns regarding the village, while others expressed excitement and support. The Hosmer Business Association did not respond to The News Tribune's request for comment about the hopes and concerns regarding the village. Hosmer Street has previously been a hot bed for homeless encampments and transients, causing frustration for local business owners. According to LIHI, residents at Kingfisher Village will get case management from on-site staff, and the facility will have at least two staff on site at all hours. In 2024, the Hosmer Business Association hired a security firm to sweep encampments on nearby private property. Kingfisher Village is adjacent to South Lakeshore Christian Church. On July 23, Pastor Vic deLeon said a prayer at the village's opening ceremony and called it the 'beginning of a good relationship' between the church and the new transitional community. LIHI director Sharon Lee also spoke during the opening ceremony on July 23. She said the village, like LIHI's other villages, will serve as transitional housing for people who were previously living in encampments, and they will receive support in finding long-term housing. On July 23, Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello attested to the success of LIHI's tiny home village efforts. 'This model works,' Mello said. 'It works to move people into the next phase of their housing journey.' Kimberly Soto previously lived at LIHI's tiny village at 6th and Orchard. Soto said she became homeless after her fiance died. While living unhoused, she had surgery on her hip and recovered while living in her car. 'Without tiny homes, I don't know where I would have been,' she said at the July 23 event. 'It was not good, but they helped me and lifted me up, got me back on track. I needed to do that to get back into a place, and I will be forever grateful to them.' Soto is now a resident at LIHI's Patsy Surh Place, an affordable-housing complex in Tacoma's Lincoln District. Victoria Woodards, mayor of the City of Tacoma, said the long-term plan for the Kingfisher Village property is to build an affordable-housing project there. 'This is not just a wish,' Woodards said on July 23. 'I've seen it and I know it's something they can do.' Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
60-unit tiny home village for the homeless is coming to Tacoma this July
This summer, a new 60-unit, tiny-home village for the homeless will be opening near Tacoma's South Hosmer Street. The project being called Kingfisher Village, 1824 S. 84th St., is a partnership between Pierce County and the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and is expected to open on July 21, according to LIHI. According to a blog post on LIHI's website, the homes at the village will serve about 70 to 75 people at a time. John Brown, a program manager for LIHI, told The News Tribune the tiny houses are 8-feet by 12-feet wide, are insulated and contain heat and air-conditioning units. The homes will include beds and furnishings. According to Brown, the village will include case-management offices, a common kitchen, community space, security fencing, plumbed showers, laundry facilities, 24/7 staff offices, storage and parking. According to LIHI, the village will serve individuals and couples that are experiencing homelessness in the Tacoma area. People are referred to Kingfisher Village as part of the state's Encampment Resolution program in cooperation with Pierce County and City of Tacoma. LIHI has operated other tiny-home villages under the same model. While most of LIHI's villages are in the Seattle area, a few are in Tacoma, including one at 6th Avenue and Orchard Street. Brown told The News Tribune the site cost $2 million to construct, and the tiny homes were built with help from volunteers, including high school students. According to Pierce County Human Services spokesperson Kari Moore, the county contributed more than $1.9 million to fund the property acquisition and some initial capital costs for the site development — which includes infrastructure, grading and utility installation. Some of the funding was made available to Pierce County through the Washington State Department of Commerce's Right of Way Encampment Resolution Program. The program, previously called the Rights-of-Way Safety Initiative, provides funding to local governments to support programs aimed at reducing encampments in public areas. According to LIHI, the long-term vision for the site is to develop the property into affordable housing, which it has done with other villages in the Seattle area. When asked why the Kingfisher Village was sited near South Hosmer Street, Brown told The News Tribune LIHI wanted to be a part of the growth in Tacoma's Hosmer area — a street that has long been associated with crime and homeless encampments. 'Our long-term goal for the site is to build multifamily workforce housing that will help contribute to the positive growth that is happening in the community,' Brown told The News Tribune. The project is opening at a time where Tacoma is anticipated to lose more than 300 of its homeless shelter beds after June due to a funding shortfall. City officials have maintained optimism they will be able to get state funding made available in the budget to support local homeless programs, but the timeline and process for getting the funding remains unclear.
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- General
- Yahoo
60-unit tiny home village for the homeless is coming to Tacoma this July
This summer, a new 60-unit, tiny-home village for the homeless will be opening near Tacoma's South Hosmer Street. The project being called Kingfisher Village, 1824 S. 84th St., is a partnership between Pierce County and the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and is expected to open on July 21, according to LIHI. According to a blog post on LIHI's website, the homes at the village will serve about 70 to 75 people at a time. John Brown, a program manager for LIHI, told The News Tribune the tiny houses are 8-feet by 12-feet wide, are insulated and contain heat and air-conditioning units. The homes will include beds and furnishings. According to Brown, the village will include case-management offices, a common kitchen, community space, security fencing, plumbed showers, laundry facilities, 24/7 staff offices, storage and parking. According to LIHI, the village will serve individuals and couples that are experiencing homelessness in the Tacoma area. People are referred to Kingfisher Village as part of the state's Encampment Resolution program in cooperation with Pierce County and City of Tacoma. LIHI has operated other tiny-home villages under the same model. While most of LIHI's villages are in the Seattle area, a few are in Tacoma, including one at 6th Avenue and Orchard Street. Brown told The News Tribune the site cost $2 million to construct, and the tiny homes were built with help from volunteers, including high school students. According to Pierce County Human Services spokesperson Kari Moore, the county contributed more than $1.9 million to fund the property acquisition and some initial capital costs for the site development — which includes infrastructure, grading and utility installation. Some of the funding was made available to Pierce County through the Washington State Department of Commerce's Right of Way Encampment Resolution Program. The program, previously called the Rights-of-Way Safety Initiative, provides funding to local governments to support programs aimed at reducing encampments in public areas. According to LIHI, the long-term vision for the site is to develop the property into affordable housing, which it has done with other villages in the Seattle area. When asked why the Kingfisher Village was sited near South Hosmer Street, Brown told The News Tribune LIHI wanted to be a part of the growth in Tacoma's Hosmer area — a street that has long been associated with crime and homeless encampments. 'Our long-term goal for the site is to build multifamily workforce housing that will help contribute to the positive growth that is happening in the community,' Brown told The News Tribune. The project is opening at a time where Tacoma is anticipated to lose more than 300 of its homeless shelter beds after June due to a funding shortfall. City officials have maintained optimism they will be able to get state funding made available in the budget to support local homeless programs, but the timeline and process for getting the funding remains unclear.
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
77 units of affordable housing for seniors now open in Tacoma. Details here
On May 21, elected officials, leaders from the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, and project partners gathered in Tacoma's Lincoln District to celebrate the opening of an affordable project aimed at providing a dignified way of living for the community's elders. Patsy Surh Place, in the heart of Tacoma's Lincoln District at 3740 S. G St., offers 77 units of housing for Asian Pacific Islander elders and other low-income seniors. The project, which will be co-owned and managed by the Low-Income Housing Institute (LIHI) and Asia Pacific Cultural Center, is named after community leader and artist Patsy Surh O'Connell. O'Connell immigrated to America as a student from Korea in 1963. She established the Asia Pacific Cultural Center in 1996 and was instrumental in creating the Korean American Artists Association of Washington State. The new six-story building features 47 studio apartments and 30 one-bedroom units, all designated for seniors earning up to 30% and 50% of the Area Median Income (AMI). According to recent U.S. Census Bureau data from 2023, Tacoma's household AMI is $83,857. As of the grand opening, all but 11 units had been leased. During the grand opening ceremony, Sharon Lee, the executive director of LIHI, said 20 of the units would be reserved for homeless veterans who could be eligible for vouchers through the Tacoma Housing Authority. Its amenities include a community lounge, multipurpose room, gallery space, outdoor courtyard, and on-site laundry facilities. The building includes commercial space for small businesses along South 38th Street. Executive director of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center, Faaluaina Pritchard, said there are plans to incorporate cross-generational programs that encourage senior residents to visit and engage with younger generations in the community to share stories and cultural knowledge. 'This project, you can mark my words, will be a model for senior housing,' Pritchard said. 'Because it is our culture to take care of our elders.' During the ceremony Tacoma Mayor Victoria Woodards said the project is part of a larger investment in Tacoma's Lincoln District and marks a 'remarkable transition' for the neighborhood. 'Seniors deserve to age with dignity in the community they love,' she said. 'This is what equity in housing looks like.' She noted the city has invested roughly $10 million into the infrastructure and modernization investments into Lincoln District as part of an effort to revitalize the historic international business community. 'We believe in this neighborhood,' Woodards told the crowd. Pritchard said the Asia Pacific Cultural Center hopes to secure funding to build a second affordable housing complex directly adjacent to Patsy Surh Place in the near future. The $36 million project was made possible by multiple public funding contributions, including $18.5 million from the National Equity Fund through Low Income Housing Tax Credits, $5.4 million from the Washington State Department of Commerce, and $7 million from Pierce County made available through the Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Act. The Maureen Howard Affordable Housing Sales Tax, named after a prominent advocate for the homeless in Tacoma who died in January 2023, has made available millions in funding for affordable housing projects across the region. Patsy Surh Place is the latest project to be funded by the county as part of push to create affordable housing stock. 'To fully meet the housing needs of current and future residents, the county needs to produce, on average, over 2,300 units per year of housing affordable at or below 50% of area median income (AMI) through the year 2044,' the county's Housing Action Strategy of 2022 found. 'Over half of these units are needed for households at 30% of AMI or below.' Since its implementation in 2023, the affordable housing fund has contributed to the creation of more than 1,000 units that are either built or in the pipeline, according to Pierce County Executive Ryan Mello.
