Washingtoner - Spokane: City, SNAP Assisting S. Wall Tenants with Relocation

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~ The City of Spokane is working with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and other local providers to cover relocation assistance costs for tenants displaced by a Do Not Occupy order issued on an unsanitary and unsafe apartment building.

Mayor Nadine Woodward said, "City staff have worked extremely hard and in close partnership with SNAP to meet the obligations of the landlord to provide relocation assistance. Their first and continuing obligation is to the health and safety of the tenants who were living in those conditions."

The order was issued after a year-long effort by City staff, Code Enforcement, and Spokane Fire inspection staff to get numerous code and fire violations, as well as unsanitary conditions, corrected at 225 S. Wall. Despite their efforts, the occupants remained in an unsafe building leading to the "Do Not Occupy" order being issued.

Payments have been processed by SNAP for 20 tenants of the apartment building who have begun picking up their checks. SNAP staff is working with three other tenants to complete documentation. Relocation assistance provided to displaced tenants shall be the greater amount of $2,000 per unit or three times the monthly rent, according to RCW 59.18.085. Relocation assistance is the responsibility of the building owner, according to state law.

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City staff has documented 21 total occupied units while another dozen or so units were unoccupied. Numerous unsanitary and unsafe conditions have been documented over the past year including infestations of bed bugs, roaches, and mice throughout the building; plumbing deficiencies and leaks; water damage; inadequate hot water; damaged heating units; lack of ventilation; evidence of unpermitted work; missing windows in multiple units; waste accumulation; drug paraphernalia; and numerous fire code violations that include lack of smoke detectors and fire exit doors screwed shut.

Notice of the impending order was posted at the building on September 5th while notices were also sent to property ownership and all known parties related to them on September 1st with City staff being in contact with tenants throughout this process as well as providing materials for them while coordinating with other providers for services when it was enforced.

Lifting this order requires submission of a full plan and documentation for resolution of these substandard conditions while it has also entered into a court-supervised receivership process separately from this matter.

Filed Under: Government, City

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