Washingtoner - Mayor Brown, Spokane City Council Members Announce Comprehensive Homelessness Strategy

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~ Spokane, WA - On Thursday, Mayor Lisa Brown and members of the Spokane City Council announced a comprehensive homelessness strategy aimed at addressing the complex factors that contribute to housing instability and homelessness. The initiative, called H.O.M.E Starts Here, seeks to create a unified plan for the city to effectively tackle this pressing issue.

The proposal emerged from the city leaders' recognition of the need for a city-wide guiding plan that focuses on healthcare, outreach, multidisciplinary engagement, and economic stability. The ordinance will implement a comprehensive approach targeting these areas through data-driven and evidence-based strategies to achieve housing stability, reduce and prevent homelessness, and ensure public health and safety.

According to Erin Hut, Director of Communications for the city (509.625.6740), this ordinance establishes key indicators of success including reducing the number of Spokane residents who are housing cost-burdened, growing median household income, adding new housing units at all income levels, expanding homeownership rates, and increasing access to healthcare.

In addition to this initiative, the Spokane City Council is also proposing an additional ordinance to codify best practices for siting and activating inclement weather centers as well as emergency and transitional housing facilities. This proposal will change the requirements for inclement weather activation from a temperature measure to an index measure that takes into account humidity, wind chill, and perceived temperature.

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The ordinance will also codify guidelines for siting City-funded shelters which include community engagement and neighborhood notice requirements for any new shelters with more than 20 beds. It will also establish a requirement for "Good Neighbor" agreements between the City of Spokane and shelter providers in order to facilitate communication between stakeholders such as neighborhood councils, adjacent business owners, providers, and the City.

The final ordinance being put forward by the council consolidates existing laws on disorderly conduct and unauthorized camping into a single policy that will be applied citywide. This proposal prioritizes engagement first by connecting individuals subject to enforcement with proven, evidence-based navigation services. It also provides law enforcement with a clear and consistent enforcement mechanism.

Mayor Lisa Brown stated, "Homelessness is a complex issue that requires a strong, multi-pronged plan that focuses on all the contributing factors that lead to housing instability. Today, we announced a comprehensive package that prioritizes multiple strategies to stabilize people, while also investing in tools that prevent homelessness from happening in the first place."

District 2 Councilmember Paul Dillon added, "It is time for our city to reform our housing and homelessness policies and unite under one vision that focuses on both response and prevention. These ordinances address issues that have presented challenges for previous mayors and councilmembers while frustrating residents, businesses and making it hard for individuals experiencing homelessness to find stability."

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District 3 Councilmember Zack Zappone also emphasized the importance of community input in the development of these ordinances. "We are listening to the community," he said. "Council worked with the Administration to incorporate feedback from dozens of community leaders that participated in the six round table discussions. We value the input of our constituents and look forward to this comprehensive strategy that will move Spokane forward."

Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall expressed his department's commitment to being part of the solution and ensuring safety for everyone in the community. "Complex problems take complex solutions," he said. "From our work with the C.O.R.E Program and through implementing more bicycle and foot patrols, we know that in certain cases, engagement before enforcement is most effective."

The H.O.M.E Starts Here Initiative has been met with positive responses from community leaders who have been involved in its development. The City of Spokane hopes that this comprehensive strategy will bring about meaningful change and improve the lives of those experiencing homelessness in their city.

Related Images:

- HOME Starts Here logo

Filed Under: Government, City

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