September event celebrates complex for people exiting homelessness

Housing Initiative LLC, a subsidiary of the nonprofit Council for the Homeless, on Sept. 6 will celebrate progress on its 18-unit apartment complex for people exiting homelessness.

Located in central Vancouver, The Pacific is expected to open in January. It will be the first completed project from Housing Initiative, which was formed in 2016 to increase housing options for those with the highest barriers to renting in the private market. All of the units are 400-square-foot one-bedrooms, and the development has an office space, laundry room and outdoor courtyard with raised garden beds.

“(Rent is) based off a percentage of the tenant’s income so that the apartments are affordable to those with low or no-income,” a news release said.

Financing for the $2.75 million project came from Clark County, the city of Vancouver’s Affordable Housing Fund and PeaceHealth. The Community Foundation for Southwest Washington provided a pre-development loan, and Vancouver Housing Authority is a partner on the development.

“Project funders realized the value of creating supportive housing,” Housing Initiative CEO Andy Silver said in the news release. “We call this supportive housing because the development provides affordable housing that is paired with support services to help tenants thrive.”

Community Services Northwest and Share will provide supportive services to tenants.

“The Pacific is the first of what we hope will be many trauma-informed apartment homes with support services for people exiting homelessness,” Council for the Homeless Executive Director, Kate Budd, said in the news release.

The public celebration takes place 10 to 11 a.m. Sept. 6 at 3209 N.E. 78th Ave., Vancouver.