The Pasco City Council, in the Regular Meeting of Tuesday, January 21, had a rare overflow crowd on hand for an item related to homelessness. Some of the highlights were:
• The main subject of discussion was agenda item 8b regarding the possible sale of City property along Heritage Boulevard to Catholic Charities - Eastern Washington. Catholic Charities’ intended use of the property was for a supportive housing project that would have served chronically homeless individuals using the housing first model. Council heard from Catholic Charities and a member of the public against the project at last night’s meeting in addition to members of the community speaking either in support or opposition to this project (or the location) at the January 14 Workshop. Ultimately, Council voted 4 to 3 to deny the sale of the property. Catholic Charities has indicated they will continue to work to locate this project in Pasco.
• The Council also approved a contract for the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 108 loan program. The program allows the City to use a portion of future federal block-grant funds to pay for a loan to help fund the planned major improvements to Peanuts Park and Farmers Market in Downtown Pasco.
• Council passed a resolution expressing the City’s intent to take advantage of recently-passed State House Bill 1406. HB 1406 encourages cities and counties in Washington to make investments in affordable housing. HB 1406 creates a sales tax revenue sharing program that allows cities and counties to access a portion of already existing (not new) state sales tax revenue to make local investments in affordable and supportive housing.
The full Council agenda can be found at http://bit.ly/PascoCouncil012120. The meeting can be viewed online at http://bit.ly/PascoCouncil012120video and seen on PSC-TV Channel 191 on Charter Spectrum Cable in Pasco and Richland.
View current and previous City Council agendas and sign up for notifications for future Council agendas at www.pasco-wa.gov/CouncilAgendas.
The next meeting of the City Council will be a Workshop on Monday, January 27, at 7 pm, in Council Chambers in Pasco City Hall, 525 N. 3rd Avenue.
The City of Pasco strives to continue improving the quality of community life in Pasco.