SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane will have four new scattered shelters opening next year.
Empire Health Foundation told the city council on Monday its goal to bring these shelters online, some as early as January.
With the city’s new scattered shelter model, any neighborhood in Spokane could see a shelter move in next door.
“We are in discussions with those different parties, providers and building owners,” said Zeke Smith, the president of Empire Health Foundation.
Out of the four shelters, two will be in South Spokane and two in North Spokane. The ones in South Spokane will be for those with medical needs and adult men and women. The ones in North Spokane will be for women and families.
“We’re hopeful that one or two of those may come online as early as January,” Smith said. “That will provide some additional relief in our system.”
With these shelters coming online, Smith said open communication with the neighborhood is an important step.
“The more they have an opportunity to meet the providers, people are really committed to providing environments that are good for our houseless neighbors,” said Smith.
The Cedar Center is one of the shelters part of this scattered site shelter model. Before staying there, everyone has to sign a good neighbor agreement.
“I think that good neighbor agreement is really a good way to tamp down some of that concern and make them more accepting if they’re going to be placing it in certain neighborhoods,” said Jeff Stevens, the chair of the Audubon Downriver Neighbor Council near the Cedar Center. “They should have some process where they can deal with those resident’s concerns and make it more acceptable.”
While a good neighbor agreement is not mandatory, Smith says they would like to have one between each shelter and the surrounding neighborhood.
“What are you really worried about or afraid of?” asked Smith. “Are there ways in which we already have systems in place that are going to address those fears and worries?”
Smith says the scattered shelter site model is a good one and is even better when all parties are on board.
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