Catholic Charities Eastern Washington broke ground Feb. 3 on Pasco Haven, a 60-unit complex that will provide housing and other services to the chronically homeless in the Tri-Cities.

The site is not in eastern Pasco where it once envisioned building Haven, but to the west at a spot not far from the Columbia River.

Pasco Haven is being built at 20th Avenue and Lewis Street, just north of the newly built Columbia River Walk apartments.

The $16.5 million project is funded with $12.8 million in equity through the federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit program, $3 million from the Washington Housing Trust Fund, $570,000 from Catholic Charities and $127,000 from Franklin County.

Construction should take about 11 months and with luck, residents will celebrate Christmas there, said Jonathan Mallahan, vice president for housing for Catholic Charities. The nonprofit advocates for and establishes housing and other programs within the Catholic Diocese of Spokane, whose reach extends to Pasco.

Its sister, Catholic Charities Central Washington, serves the Catholic Diocese of Yakima, with jurisdiction over Benton County.

Catholic Charities initially proposed developing its Pasco Haven project on a city-owned site on Heritage Boulevard in east Pasco. Local opposition prompted the city to decline its offer to buy the site.

Catholic Charities didn’t agree with some of the concerns voiced about serving the homeless in the neighborhood, but it respected the argument and scouted for a new location.

Mallahan said the extra time helped with planning and paid off when its housing arm paid $420,000 to buy the vacant, 1.5-acre parcel at 20th and Lewis from Griggs Family LLC. The deal recorded Oct. 21, 2021.

“We think this is an even better site,” Mallahan said “It is well situated with transportation and access to services.”

The Haven model unites housing with services to address the underlying issues that lead to it, such as addiction, joblessness and mental illness.

The building’s design complements the neighborhood. Mallahan pledged to be good neighbors to the emerging waterfront district. The area is east of the blue bridge and is close to several access points along the riverside bike and pedestrian path.

Pasco Haven is the second local project for Catholic Charities Eastern Washington. It operates family apartments for farmworkers in Pasco. With Haven, it will add an office to allow it to offer its full suite of services.

“Supportive” housing fulfills its mission to serve the needy with dignity and in the full belief that all humans deserve “a meal, a bed, a shower, a toilet.” Mallahan said onsite support and a case manager will help residents navigate social and other services to help them tap into resources they need to stay off the streets.

Architecture All Forms and Inland Group, both of Spokane, are the designer and contractor, respectively.

Go to: cceasternwa.org.