CIVICS | After news that Hope House would close its decades-old women’s shelter, the city council appears poised to prioritize funding for existing shelters.
The biggest news in our weekly deep dive into local government happenings is a proposed Spokane City Council resolution to prioritize funding for existing homeless shelters. Earlier this week, Volunteers Of America President and CEO Fawn Schott, said that the shelter portion of Hope House would likely close without additional city funding.
That sense of impending doom was likely based on the Mayor’s budget and a memo from Community, Housing, and Human Services (CHHS) Director Jenn Cerecedes, that made it seem like existing shelter operators were going to be left fighting over scraps as the city prioritized funding for the Trent and Cannon shelters.
Now, it looks like the city council is saying not so fast. A proposed resolution on the agenda for the Urban Experience Committee pledges that the city will prioritize funding existing shelter providers in city spending and make more funding available to shelter operators. This move should stave off the closure of existing shelters while also raising questions on how the cash strapped city government can continue to pay for the Trent Shelter.
Money for shelters and more (bike paths!) will be a major topic of discussion in the city this week. But, after taking an emergency action to approve money to help the city expand the Trent Shelter this week, the Spokane County Board of Commissioners is off this week. Without further adieu let’s get to this week’s city-centric rundown of public meetings.
Spokane City Council
(More) Budget, Baby: The public hearing portion of Monday’s city council meetings will be dominated by continued discussion of the city budget. As Daniel Walters wrote in the Inlander this week, money is tight in the city.
In addition to budget talks, the city will also be finalizing its annual update to the citywide Capital Improvement Plan (CIP). The plan, developed by the city planning commission, includes investments in the Trent Shelter and other city infrastructure like streets and water utilities.
(Even) more money for Trent: On the consent agenda, Coeur d’Alene firm Architects West is set to receive nearly $120,000 to consult on projects at the shelter, including showers, laundry and individual pods inside the converted warehouse. This additional capital funding for the Trent Shelter comes as existing shelters, like Hope House, warn they may have to shut down without operating funding from the city. More on that later.
Life in the bike lane: In another consent agenda item, the city council is voting on whether to accept new changes to the city’s bike transportation network. These changes include a new trail connecting the Fish Lake Trail network to the downtown core via a pathway winding from Government Way down into Highbridge Park and many more additional bike routes in the city. You can check-out the staff report on the changes here.
Agenda hereMonday, Nov. 14 at 6 p.m.Council Chambers in the Lower Level of City Hall.808 W Spokane Falls Blvd, Spokane, WA 99201The meeting is also livestreamed here.
