SPOKANE VALLEY, Wash. – A new affordable housing project, Orchard Vista, officially broke ground Tuesday morning in Spokane Valley.
Orchard Vista will bring 240 units to a seven-acre property located just off South Farr and East Appleway.
“Forty percent of families are rent-burdened in Spokane County. That means they can’t afford the average rental unit,” said Pam Parr, Executive Director of Spokane Housing Authority.
Spokane Housing Authority emphasizes the property’s location to grocery stores and public transportation. Additionally, the project will include a childcare facility on-site.
“There’s such a lack of access to childcare at all, ” Parr said. “But to have childcare easily accessible right where you live is a best practice model.”
The Inland Group, the development company behind Orchard Vista, explained that this project is the result of a private-public partnership. This allows private companies to assist in building public projects like affordable housing. The Inland Group believes that this model may be the future of establishing housing in communities that need it.
“We have a waiting list of over 5,000 families waiting for rental assistance,” Parr said. “Providing new affordable housing units is critical to helping those families.”
The project is receiving strong support from city officials in Spokane Valley. Both the mayor and deputy mayor attended the groundbreaking, and grant funding for the project was unanimously approved by Spokane City Council.
Orchard Vista is expected to welcome its first residents by July of next year, with full completion slated for spring 2027.
