Frequently Asked Questions

What is the mission of the organization?

Salem Arms Community Housing seeks to support and house individuals with special needs and low- income large families while promoting self-sufficiency

What geographic areas does the organization serve?

Spokane County.

What are the primary long term goals of this organization?

To increase the number of affordable housing options in the community for the populations we serve.

What are the organization’s goals for this year?

To be good stewards of the existing resources we manage and to identify and fund opportunities to acquire, build, or rehabilitate new housing opportunities.

Who does the organization represent or serve (i.e. what type of clientele – elderly, low/moderate income, homeless, etc.)?

SACH provides safe and secure housing for homeless chronically mentally ill individuals and low income large families. The majority of families and individuals we serve are at or below 50% of the area median income.

What percentage of the organization’s over-all clientele are low and moderate income individuals?

100%

How does the organization measure or track income levels?

SACH is required to do initial income verification on all households and then recertify income eligibility annually.

Does the organization’s clientele in general have access to low or no cost banking services?

Yes. Some may have some difficulties managing their limited resources and could use some assistance in this area.

How many “clients” does this organization serve on a monthly or annual basis?

SACH housed 106 adults and children in 2018. YTD, we have housed 106 adults and children. These numbers reflect that we have maximized our ability to serve more families until new housing is developed.

Aside from specific programs, are there other means in which the mission is carried out?

SACH is a member of the Spokane Low-Income Housing Consortium. This provides a platform for constant partnership with other local agencies to provide supportive services for its customers.

If the organization is involved in real estate development, how many real estate projects have been

9 Family Houses acquired/rehabbed.
Elm Street Apartments – 9 units constructed by SACH in 2009.
Newark Apartments – 6 units acquired in 2015 with project –based rental assistance.=
Constructed and acquired 4 other Large Duplexes
Current development plans include identifying sufficient funding sources to acquire and rehabilitate large family Duplexes . In addition, we are looking for opportunities to acquire small-family properties that could be converted to housing for tenant ownership.

In what areas does the organization encounter opportunities within the community?

SACH is one of the few providers in the area that specialize in affordable housing for chronic mentally ill and large families. This gives us the opportunity to partner with local service agencies who provide services but do not have available housing options.

What are some of the limitations or challenges the organization faces in serving its community?

There is an overall shortage of affordable housing in Spokane County.
The apartment vacancy rate in Spokane is less than 2%, limiting options for everyone.
Incomes have not kept pace with rent increases in Spokane County.
Many of the large families we serve are immigrants and this creates challenges of cultural understanding and communication. We are working hard to bridge the gap and are making progress.

Is the organization interested in expanding its program or project areas at this time? In what areas

We are interested in increasing the number of affordable housing units we offer in the community.

What factors prompted the organization to choose these areas for expansion?

We need to diversify our portfolio in order to broaden our service to the community and reach an economy of scale .

If the organization is interested in expanding, is there a time line in place to implement this expansion or when is it expected to be in place?

SACH is currently seeking additional properties that we hope to be in service by the end of 2019 .