Spokane Housing Authority to Celebrate “50 Years of Service”

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(Spokane, WA – May 27, 2022) – This week, Spokane Housing Authority (SHA) is pleased to announce an event commemorating SHA’s 50 years of providing affordable housing to the community.

Originally established by the City of Spokane in 1972, SHA was founded to address citizen concerns and improve housing conditions within City limits. SHA expanded to serve a larger area, including the balance of Spokane County; as well as Lincoln, Pend Oreille, Stevens, Whitman, and Ferry Counties. Over the past half-century, SHA has grown from just a few units of public housing in the City of Spokane to more than 6,000 households enrolled in affordable housing programs across Eastern Washington.
Pamela Parr, SHA’s Executive Director, states, “Our 50th anniversary would not be possible without the dedication of generations of employees and community volunteers on SHA’s Board of Commissioners. Their commitment and contributions from partner organizations are critical to our ability to provide housing opportunities in our region.”

SHA operates the third-largest US Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Housing Choice Voucher (HCV, or “Section 8”) program in the state, and manages a large portfolio of affordable housing communities. Year after year, HUD ranks SHA a “High Performer” for excellence in HCV quality and service.

Besse Bailey, SHA’s Board Chair and Mountain West Bank’s Senior Vice President and Commercial Lending Manager, affirms, “We know affordable housing is a crucial element of any thriving community and that stable housing is transformational. A home is not just built on a foundation; it is the foundation that supports every other opportunity. The SHA team is dedicated to ensuring our community has access to safe, healthy, affordable homes for many years to come.”

SHA will celebrate its 50th anniversary by hosting a “50 Years of Service” open house event at their new headquarters, 25 W. Nora Ave., Spokane, WA 99205. All are welcome to attend the open house on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. A ceremony with remarks from local leaders will be held at 1:30 p.m. and office tours will be available after the ceremony.
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