City of Spokane Announces Next Chapter of HOME Starts Here Initiative
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~ Spokane City leaders are taking the next steps in their efforts to address homelessness and public safety through the H.O.M.E. Starts Here initiative. Mayor Lisa Brown, Councilmember Zack Zappone, and Police Chief Kevin Hall will be introducing the city's next phase of engagement and enforcement at a press conference on Tuesday.

The announcement will come after discussions at Monday's Public Safety meeting, where recommendations for updating the engagement and enforcement ordinance will be drafted in collaboration with community and business partners, as well as the Spokane Police Department.

According to Communications Director Erin Hut, these next steps will include strategies to end public camping and open drug use by giving officers more discretion to issue citations, increase new interventions for repeat offenders, expand targeted outreach efforts, and encourage community participation in finding solutions.

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Mayor Brown emphasized the importance of finding a balance between compassion and accountability in addressing homelessness. "We want outreach to people in crisis. We also want public camping and open drug use to end, for the sake of people who are living outside and struggling, and for our collective sense of safety," she said.

Councilmember Zappone echoed this sentiment, stating that the community deserves both compassion and accountability. He believes that updating the engagement and enforcement ordinance can achieve both goals by creating a system that connects resources to those who are ready for them while holding accountable those who repeatedly create public disorder.

Police Chief Hall also stressed the need for more discretion in determining when citations and arrests are appropriate. "Based on the data we have compiled so far, it is clear that officers need more discretion," he said. "Updating the ordinance to develop a comprehensive set of accountability tools will align with the new street outreach model and day services launched this week."

The press conference on Tuesday morning will provide more details about these updates and their goals. The city has also provided related links for further information on the H.O.M.E. Starts Here initiative and other homeless initiatives in Spokane.

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