Health & Safety

Initial Projects

Food Security: Provide across generations adequate food security.

Housing Security: Provide across generations adequate housing security.

Youth Health Intervention: Improve youth early health intervention.

Wellness Space: Identify and develop a community wellness and training space.

Physician Residency: Develop a physician residency program.

Pullman is welcoming and inclusive to a global and intergenerational community. Photo: Pullman Police Department

Spotlight: Food Security

There is a lot to be appreciative of when it comes to food security in Pullman.  As a community, we carry many stories of appreciation that demonstrate some of the preliminary “wins” for the goal to provide across generations adequate food security.  

Some of the top needs and dreams include:  more community meals, larger and more accessible fresh food supply, community volunteer educators, and coordination between programs to develop cooperative programming.  We are excited to develop these needs into new initiatives for Pullman and the region.

Pullman supports the collaboration of an intergenerational community working together to build an exciting future. Photo: Community Action Center

Current, diverse resources: - Two community gardens, hydroponics, school and food bank gardens growing and teaching

- Pullman Schools Pantry Program addressing childhood hunger over the weekends and holidays, as well as churches throughout the area providing backpack programs for daycare students, adds resources to school district free & reduced breakfast & lunch program

- Several university programs at WSU work to end student food insecurity including food pantries - Two food pantries in Pullman address household food insecurity throughout the week and weekend, alongside federal safety net programs such as Basic Food and WIC - Shop the Market and Fresh Bucks programs, administered by Backyard Harvest, allows Basis Food benefits to be used at Farmers Market and Winter Market - Gleaning and Food Recovery networks reduce food waste and connect people to healthy food. - Community Kitchen provides space for cooking and nutrition education, food demonstrations, and repack of bulk and rescued food - Senior hunger is addressed through Meals on Wheels and a twice-weekly community meal

The Palouse Tables Project Food Security Assessment and Plan will come out with a comprehensive analysis of both Whitman and Latah County’s indicators of community food security in December 2018.  This will aid the 2040 Food Security team to connect top priority needs with community resources and possibilities in Pullman. 

Spotlight: Housing Security

The lack of affordable housing affects nearly all of the Pullman community, directly or indirectly. Both rental affordability, with over 50% of renters paying more than 30% of income to rent, and purchasing affordability continue to be a struggle for many households in Pullman.

Despite the challenges, the Housing Security Project work group identified resources and initiatives present in Pullman to provide some relief, while listing some long-term dreams and potential policy changes to combat housing insecurity in the Pullman area.

A top need for ongoing work is a communication and public education plan to describe and define the actual environment of the local housing challenges to residents, and to reduce the existing stigma around affordable housing and its residents. We believe all members of the community deserve the right to reach their full potential, and income and housing challenges in the community are ours to address and solve as a community. 

The following is a short list of existing housing security programs and projects to bridge the identified affordable housing gap: - Continuum of care for those experiencing homelessness, with a referral system in place using nonprofit, first responder, and local motel resources to meet the need - 5 current Low Income Housing Tax Credit affordable housing projects, and over 200 units of subsidized or affordable housing, currently provide affordable housing - A new 56-unit project, RiverView Apartments, to be completed in late 2019 - The Sojourner’s Alliance in Moscow helps address local homeless housing issues, which aids Pullman’s work. After severe challenges recently, the Alliance is now fully operational and is building to maximum capacity. - Alternatives to Violence of the Palouse continues to offer emergency or crisis shelter for households experiencing homelessness due to domestic violence. - A Rural Home Repair Revolving Loan program is now coming on-line and will help households with low income maintain their homes to the point they would qualify for the Washington State Low Income Weatherization Program. - Technology and innovations in building design and sustainability are providing possibilities for alternative and efficient housing designs which can help with future development of housing security.

A Palouse Housing Needs Assessment and the 2018 Whitman County Community Needs Assessment will both come out with findings by the end of the year, and can help the 2040 Housing Security team identify both needs and opportunities in Pullman for improving the Housing Security landscape.