SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane voters will still have a say on the proposed anti-camping initiative after city officials and homeless advocates spent the summer battling for a spot on the ballot.
Spokane County Superior Court Judge Tony Hazel issued an order on Aug. 25 dismissing a lawsuit brought forth by Jewels Helping Hands and Ben Stuckart. That lawsuit sought to remove a measure that would ban camping within 1,000 feet of parks playgrounds, daycares and schools from the November ballot. After spending the summer going back and forth in the courtroom, Hazel decided the measure would go to voters in November.
Attorneys representing Jewels Helping Hands and Stuckart filed a lawsuit in early August that would stop the anti-camping initiative from appearing on the ballot. They say that measure does not help individuals experiencing homelessness and that a citizen initiative to change city code regarding land use is illegal.
The lawsuit claims only city council has the power to change that type of city code, and that the initiative overrides that power.
Mark Lamb, the attorney representing the initiative sponsor, told KREM 2 the measure is reasonable and consistent with what the city has done in the past. In a statement about the lawsuit, Lamb says it is an attempt at preventing the voice of the Spokane people from being heard.
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