SPOKANE, Wash. — 30 days ago, elected leaders from Spokane, Spokane Valley, Spokane County and Airway Heights signed a 90-day due diligence plan to address regional homelessness.
Monday, those leaders came together to share where they're at in the plan with the community.
Mayor Nadine Woodward said conversations are still in the early stages, but these conversations are important stepping stones toward a regional homeless effort.
Its an initiative Jewels Helping Hands executive director Julie Garcia said she supports.
“If we house people, if we actually get people off the streets of our community, it only benefits everybody so this is a really great stepping stone,” Garcia said.
According to Spokane Unite's joint statement, the plan focuses on reviewing and discussing funding, collecting data and potential legal and governance models and how the success of a regional model can be tracked and sustained.
Mayor Nadine Woodward said a collaborative approach to homelessness could benefit all involved.
“We all understand there is a need for an organization, a model like this, for us to address homelessness in a much more impactful way, to do a better job of collaborating with resources, funding, service providers, and then it should be done regionally,” Mayor Woodward said.
Local leaders were joined by Mandy Chapman Semple at Monday's roundtable. She flew in from Houston to talk about the homeless system she implemented down south.
“We worked together to implement strategically a system that helped deliver every individual experiencing homelessness back into housing with the supportive system they need to thrive and recover,” Chapman Semple said.
According to Clutch Consulting Group, Chapman Semple helped reduce Houston's homelessness crisis by 60% in just four years.
Chapman Semple said she will use her experience to be a soundboard as Spokane Unite's mission continues.
Mayor Woodward said the next 60 days will include narrowing down and defining tangible strategies and structures.
According to the joint statement, following the 900day due diligence period, legislative bodies will review the information shared and gathered. that information will be used to determine the likelihood of a successful, regional, collaborative model.
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