'This is my reality for five years.' Neighbors raise concern over new housing construction in South Spokane

SPOKANE, Wash. - Construction has started on a new housing development next to Chase Middle School in South Spokane, but some neighbors are worried how much the project will change their neighborhood.

Developers plan on building 93 houses on the 25-acre lot after Spokane County gave them the green light last year. The project itself has been in the works since 2022.

Neighbors off Glenrose Road said they start hearing construction vehicles drive by as early as 7 a.m. every day, and it's created a lot more traffic than usual.

"It's going to take they said probably five years for it to be complete," said Raeann Fleming who lives in the neighborhood. "This is my reality for five years. These are the sights and sounds I will see for five more years."

With nearly eight dozen new homes being built so close, neighbors are wondering how much worse traffic will get.

Fleming said she understands the need for housing in the area but wants more communication from the developers and the county.

"if we could just know what's going to happen to our neighborhood, what their plan is and what's going to happen to the road and traffic and how we're going to sustain that traffic," Fleming said.

Fleming said construction crews also clear cut a large number of trees in the area. She's worried about how that will affect the environment.

"We'll never see trees that size again in my lifetime or maybe my kids' lifetime. Now they're gone and they just cut up and shredded into little pieces."

Neighbors have also been told their street will be the main entrance for the housing development that's being constructed. Originally, Fleming said she was told the street would only be used to get construction equipment in and out.

"They initially said that they were only going to use this road to get their equipment in and out," she explained. "Then they said 'No, now this is going to be the main entrance.'"

4 News Now reached out to the housing developer for comment but has not received a response.

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