SPOKANE, Wash. — The Trent Resource and Assistance Center (TRAC) days are numbered after Spokane city officials revealed the shelter's set close by the end of October.
TRAC opened about two years ago under former Mayor Nadine Woodward's administration and functions as a shelter for people to escape harsh weather, have a meal and have a safe place to sleep.
Mayor Brown made closing the shelter one of her campaign promises. After taking office, she announced in the spring of 2024 the city would move toward a scattered shelter model.
"The idea here is that individuals will come and stay with their own space for a limited amount of time while they are assessed," said Brown at the State of the City address in early May. "And navigate in coordination with our many nonprofit providers"
According to city spokesperson Erin Hut, the scattered shelter model would mean the city will have sites tailored for specific groups facing homelessness. For example, young mothers would be at a different shelter site than people in recovery from drug addiction.
The Mayor's office said it will announce specific locations soon.
Additionally, the city says the scattered shelters would be considered low-barrier, but will be specific for each group of people.
On Monday, the Spokane City Council discussed a one-month extension to the TRAC contract during the city's Urban Experience Committee meeting.
"Right now, TRAC is set to close October 31st and that is the timeline by which the whole community is operating right now," said Arielle Anderson, the director for Community, Housing and Human Services for the city of Spokane.
City documents for the committee detail the plan for closing the TRAC shelter and include a gradual lowering of bed numbers.
Those numbers are as follows:
- 225 beds by Sept. 1
- 200 beds by Sept. 9
- 175 beds by Sept. 16
- 125 beds by Oct. 1
- 75 beds by Oct.15
- 0 beds by Nov. 1
The Spokane City Council will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 10, for a roundtable discussion regarding the city's policies on homelessness.