This city just committed $1 million to controversial Spanaway homeless village project
The city of Lakewood has approved a $1 million allocation to the Tacoma Rescue Mission in support of a planned 285-unit micro-home village for people experiencing chronic homelessness.
The Lakewood City Council on Monday passed a motion to use $1 million of federal American Rescue Plan Act funding for the construction of the first 50 units in the first phase of the Pierce County Village project, provided that the conditional-use permit for the project is approved and 20% of the units are set aside for homeless veterans.
The decision was unanimous. Amendments proposed by council member J. Trestin Lauricella to release the $1 million in increments over time once total funding for the project had been secured failed.
Total cost of the project, including four phases of construction, is estimated to exceed $62.7 million, according to a proposal presented by Tacoma Rescue Mission to the Pierce County Council in 2022.
According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the city could terminate any contract or ARPA sub-award with Tacoma Rescue Mission by mutual agreement or if Tacoma Rescue Mission would not be able to carry out the sub-award.
The location of the proposed Pierce County Village on a 86-acre site just west of Spanaway has prompted environmental concerns from nearby residents and others who worry the environmentally sensitive area isn’t appropriate for shared-housing developments. Advocates for the project say the project brings much-needed affordable housing and resources to a population that has often exhausted other options.
Environmental nonprofit, Futurewise, and local advocacy group, Spanaway Concerned Citizens, recently dropped their complaint with the Growth Management Hearings Board that had alleged Pierce County’s shared-housing village ordinance violated state rules on planning and growth.
The project, modeled after Community First! Village in Austin, Texas, would be owned and operated by Tacoma Rescue Mission, which would provide on-site work, health care, treatment, case management and security to residents. The village would focus on serving older adults who have experienced long-term chronic homelessness.
Tacoma Rescue Mission applied to develop the permanent supportive housing village in May, with that application still under review. Construction is planned to be completed in fall 2028.
