SPOKANE, Wash. — The Spokane Business Association is calling on all City Council members to address the homeless crisis and restore the provisions of voter-approved Proposition 1.
“Today, the Spokane Business Association is officially designating the situation in the city of Spokane a major crisis,” said Larry Stone, the chair of the Spokane Business Association board.
Proposition 1 was approved by around 75% of voters in November 2023. It prohibits encampment on public property and within 1,000 feet of schools, parks and child care facilities. It was shut down by the state Supreme Court earlier this year.
SBA’s new pledge, known as the 75% Pledge, was announced at a news conference on Thursday. This pledge aims to target the behaviors prohibited in Proposition 1 and put in place immediate law enforcement engagement at the time and place of the violation. SBA says it will also guide people experiencing homelessness into services whenever possible.
“Some of our elected leadership in the city of Spokane find excuses that homelessness is a national problem,” said Stone. “While homelessness is present throughout our country, there is no excuse for the fact that Spokane is allowing open drug use, camping on public property, blocking of sidewalks and roadways and other criminal activity.”
During the conference, Stone compared Spokane to cities like Boise, Wichita, Kansas, Omaha, Nebraska and Nashville.
“None of these cities allow open drug use or camping on public property as we do in the city of Spokane,” Stone said.
Miles Rohde, a pastor for Redemption Church which used to hold its services on the corner of Second and Division, decided to leave the building it used for over 10 years due to issues with vandalism and drug use nearby.
“Overdoses on our steps, fentanyl residue and foil everywhere that needed to be cleared up before our children would enter the door that all of us came in,” Pastor Rohde said. “Very fearful that any of these kids, as kids do, would be interested in shiny things.”
Pastor Rohde said the church has partnered with a different church in North Spokane for the time being.
At the meeting, several City Council candidates spoke, showing their support for the issue. District 1 candidate and city councilmember Johnathan Bingle said, “It is glaringly evident that we need something to be different.”
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“We need to honor the will of the people,” said District 2 candidate Alejandro Barrientos. “As a city councilmember, I will work to bring back Prop 1.”
The City Council drafted a new homeless ordinance to replace Proposition 1 earlier this year, called the H.O.M.E. Starts Here plan.
“No citation has been done, no outreach has been taken by these individuals. We need to follow the will of the people and make sure their voices are heard. We are fighting for the soul of our city right now,” District 3 candidate Christopher Savage said.
Other city councilmember candidates were not in attendance at Thursday’s news conference to voice their opinion on the matter.
Councilmember Zack Zappone did release a statement about the SBA’s proposal.
“I’ve always been committed to having conversations with all stakeholders,” Councilmember Zappone said. “I led a series of round table discussions on these topics, but SBA did not participate. I’m ready to meet with them to work towards a collaborative solution to end street camping and I am meeting with the business community this week to address urgent changes now.”
Mayor Lisa Brown has an ordinance in the works that would allow Spokane Police to make arrests for illegal camping or direct people to a daytime shelter. SBA says it wants to see real results instead of just plans.
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