(Washington, D.C.) – On May 12, U.S. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, announced $3.5 million in federal funding for Spokane-based Community Frameworks to develop affordable housing and boost home ownership opportunities for low-income families. The funding—which comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program—will help Community Frameworks build at least 113 new affordable housing units.
“For so many people in Spokane and throughout our state, owning a home has been out of reach as they’ve struggled to make ends meet. This funding will make a life-changing difference for families looking to buy a home or keep a roof over their heads in Eastern Washington and across the region,” said Senator Murray. “Housing insecurity is a persistent problem for so many in our state—and I’ll keep pushing for more action and more investments in affordable housing options to help keep people safe, secure, and housed.”
“We are excited to receive our 25th award through the Self-Help Homeownership Opportunity Program,” said Deb Elzinga, CEO at Community Frameworks. “At a time when so many are locked out of the dream of homeownership, this funding will make that dream a reality for 113 families in our 4-state service area,” continued Elzinga.
Senator Murray has consistently worked to address Washington state’s housing crisis and has fought for federal investments to help families keep a roof over their head. Murray recently announced more than $33 million in federal awards from HUD for public housing programs across Washington state, and in March, she called on President Biden to utilize a “whole of government” approach to addressing our nation’s housing needs. Murray also helped secure $72.1 billion in discretionary spending for HUD in the end-of-year spending package, a $6.5 billion increase over the previous fiscal year. And in the American Rescue Plan Murray helped negotiate, she secured major support for people facing housing insecurity, including more than $400 million in rental assistance, $170 million in homeowner assistance, over 2,400 new Emergency Housing Vouchers, and nearly $100 million for housing and services to support people experiencing homelessness in Washington state.
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