SPOKANE, Wash. — The City of Spokane detailed on Monday its plans to ensure the safety and well-being of vulnerable residents during inclement weather.
The city says Community, Housing and Human Services is given $250,000 annually to address weather events requiring sheltering including cold, heat and smoke.
Mayor Brown proposed a new, long-term approach to inclement weather sheltering as part of the new plan. She argued that creating new shelter space is not viable because "the costs of facilities and newly dedicated staff and operations are expensive."
“True preparedness means planning ahead for the safety and dignity of our unsheltered neighbors, not scrambling to react to weather crises that we know come every year. By taking a holistic approach to the inclement weather plan, we are building a sustainable system and coordinating with various service providers to be ready to go when the cold, heat and smoke arrive,” Mayor Lisa Brown said.
Instead of creating new shelter space, the administration is planning to expand the capacity of existing programs.
Overall, 357 surge beds were found in the City of Spokane and Spokane County across six different sites. These are in addition to the 1,000 existing shelter beds, 30 Navigation Center beds and 100 scattered site beds.
Mayor Brown also said that she will propose an increase in funding in the 2025-2026 biennial budget to meet the needs of those living unsheltered during extreme weather.
“On behalf of Catholic Charities, we would like to extend our support and recognition of the City of Spokane’s commitment to providing vital inclement weather beds for the 2024/2025 season,” said Sharon Stadelman, Chief Crisis & Shelter Officer for Catholic Charities. “We recognize the need for such services far exceeds available funding and resources, and are grateful to see the city prioritizing these efforts. Providing long-term solutions for our community's most vulnerable members during inclement weather is critical, and we hope that future allocations can expand to meet the growing needs of those who rely on these essential services to survive. We remain eager to collaborate and support these efforts.”
