[{"_1":2,"_120":-5,"_121":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,86,96,108],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6123071,"mediaKeyId","2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892","parentId",2691777,"title","Spokane leaders and residents call for tougher enforcement and services as parks, encampments and public safety top town-hall agenda","audioSeconds",4437,"startMs",968000,"endMs",5405000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892&start=968&end=5405","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892/thumbnail_968000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6123071/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-leaders-and-residents-call-for-tougher-enforcement-and-services-as-parks-encampments-and-public-safety-top-town-hall-agenda","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123071-371905af967d7959bc3855e9395ddb7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005801&Signature=ViOchGcpW4x97o3qvi37UPF46fI-nKQ8KB6cvgGrpXky2oBvXRD1v2dbT0iOSKoSac6zwSHvNeYwwUyEBYHBTZTzycJLjaRQVhb7uYFugHwkNmJDDKmxqKy661t4mGPNKp6Ly7r2h56po~1LhNka9kP9cBt7JVOcSQbA9WaDVSTHncKMBCVTrfR5fehDh~c~xC8bRd5TRvhWwc~gW8k5CaAVMmbTofRWpXywBlRgMvpUQCCcywScB8CpOL4QHuvWXXkeHgmxrB3isBjssj7zC4VeHnhlXhbAFhaxNbMJuKU80NwKpB0sNvBanUT7su6eIxqKURjfaJQser616qnAVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane City, WA","date","2025-03-19T18:23:49Z","article","At a Spokane City Council town hall at the Northeast Community Center in March 2025, residents and council members pressed public-safety leaders on enforcement near parks and schools, the city’s approach to camping and sit-and‑lie laws, and police capacity in downtown hot spots.

The discussion centered on where police should prioritize citations, how to pair enforcement with services, and whether existing laws and city resources are being used to protect children and public spaces. “Police officers are human beings too, and they're going to take the route of least resistance,” Spokane Police Chief Kevin Hall said. “For them, the easiest thing to write…and give a citation for is pedestrian interference.”

Why this matters: Speakers linked visible conditions — an encampment near a school, bonfires and drug use downtown, and deteriorated parks — to safety concerns for children and families. Residents urged clearer, faster enforcement and more coordinated responses across police, fire, code enforcement and service providers.

Chief Hall described recent changes in enforcement since national court decisions that once limited camping citations. “With the grants passed decision, we can now actually enforce camping laws,” he told the audience, pointing to an uptick in unlawful-camping citations over the past six months.

Spokane Fire Department Chief Julie Oberg said fire crews have used narrowly defined “compassionate warming fires” only in extreme temperatures and only when company officers determine the practice meets strict criteria. “This by no means sounds like it met that criteria,” she said when residents described a large bonfire near a downtown hotel.

Several residents described conditions they said endanger children. Angel Trout, a Shiloh Hills neighborhood council member, told the council that the Washington Tracking Network rates Census Tract 112 — parts of Shiloh Hills — at “10 out of 10” for poor health outcomes and pointed to Friendship Park’s cracked pavement and lack of a working water fountain as an example of neighborhood neglect. “Fixing the park isn’t just about the park. It’s about health and quality of life,” Trout said.

Council members said they can press other agencies and the parks board but stressed limits of the City Council's direct authority over parks. Council member Michael Cathcart reminded the audience that the park board is an independent entity with its own decisions; he urged residents to attend park-board meetings to press the issue at the source.

Downtown safety, encampments and the Redpath hotspot drew sustained attention. Council members and the police described “place management” as a central approach: working with property managers, licensing, code enforcement and fire to change how problem sites are operated. Chief Hall said the city is examining how properties are managed and seeking cross-agency responses when private property conditions contribute to public-safety problems.

Several speakers asked the council to make enforcement consistent citywide rather than limited to downtown. Council member Paul Wright said he will bring forward a sit-and-lie ordinance that would expand the city’s existing time/place/manner restrictions. Chief Hall said the department is open to conversations about changes to make sit-and-lie “a more usable tool.”

Residents asked for faster action on specific complaints. Chief Hall advised people to keep calling 311 or other reporting lines; he said the data drives resource allocation. The chief also identified a case number (E2502709) tied to a camper near Marietta as evidence the department was addressing a specific report.

What was not decided: The council and chiefs described policies and enforcement options but did not adopt new ordinances at the town hall. Several council members said formal hearings on homelessness-related ordinances are expected soon and urged public turnout.

Ending: Council members thanked residents for turnout and said they will continue to press for a combined approach — enforcement, property accountability and services — while urging neighborhood engagement with the parks board and other agencies.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","March 17th, 2025 Spokane City Council District 1 Town Hall Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","At a Spokane City Council town hall at the Northeast Community Center in March 2025, residents and council members pressed public-safety leaders on enforcement near parks and schools, the city’s approach to camping and sit-and‑lie laws, and police capacity in downtown hot spots.","taxTitle","Spokane, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2644,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6123052,"Council approves short extension to allow three final speakers at town hall",0,11440000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892&start=11440&end=11440","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892/thumbnail_11440000.jpg","/articles/6123052/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-approves-short-extension-to-allow-three-final-speakers-at-town-hall","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123052-b699bd82cdf2f4157f9c19c2e5b6d32f/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005801&Signature=NNY2LOS9a-wFoPkgln0t4ndSpr0IauO6LjIu~lk9fjcV6Kcq22EBgGr6AqBaIRAHq8ArwgUMu~WgDZ7c3cXWh1W-p37-U4Tl9ydr0RIpgPYxx7bN4WHpF5voPvXt4iuLjO8NPH8NbzeXZi3hOwKEO95WAzpjYOmchrnXn~9pzIdLFLaK0tGein26-cIWzVYnR23utBl5tdipyruKYsYiumfsDMne20a2~ToRRp3n3qU2taqPCy7oeNz8Dxm4Cr11I47WmahZe0fsoPFA8FgMQlRz4hSbwrt1b~PqukcgXm4mPCiWCkT7A3ZbRYwuVs1Ze4w2ZkQYgkybMzhkQk4N2w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","As the March 2025 District 1 town hall approached a scheduled end, council members voted to extend the meeting briefly to allow three remaining speakers to testify.

A council member moved to extend time for the three speakers; the motion received a second. The council then approved the extension by voice vote with no recorded opposition and allowed the three speakers to use the additional time allotted under the extension.

Why this matters: The procedural vote allowed several additional public comments on homelessness, neighborhood safety and volunteer programs. The extension was not tied to ordinances or policy changes; it was a time-extension procedural motion to permit the scheduled speakers to speak.

","At the end of the town hall the council voted by voice to extend the meeting time to hear three remaining speakers; the extension was approved by voice vote after a motion and second were made on the floor.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":78,"_43":89,"_45":89,"_47":90,"_49":91,"_51":92,"_53":93,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":94,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":95,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6123057,"Residents press council on ARPA neighborhood grants, housing pressures and North Spokane Corridor funding",9720000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892&start=9720&end=9720","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892/thumbnail_9720000.jpg","/articles/6123057/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Residents-press-council-on-ARPA-neighborhood-grants-housing-pressures-and-North-Spokane-Corridor-funding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123057-a2fbf6d2142cd4293a916e52225f004b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005801&Signature=XbopjUUX7xZ3BHGyWQ6~Z8lZ~kRbNoSGU4hei61b3URfSeUDOz52BWIu7NOGQaxCnLb8JAkDcPM5QQaRrIWAnFwCP9huWcqZk1hQFScZNpDdKHnoPNechQXaKQ2-c18VssUKici-8aAqSwRDtkGdqs~VUeZHZ1RPWut-KgKK7YZ9WXYj-7GbRYH9UDH~d2izUThp7FrZBxlez2TLuZYe-9uNvlrP0H7uxaa2O2nLx25yVKY888NoCdl5qnCNOuutMqCepWn72CqMLZdsSzvVPNT4lnHO1KKhE~N0vB88UA0c9h~iXCnu4iqQ7e8YiAn2ng~yzIDmeTWWmnkB2ET53w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple residents used the town hall to ask the council to move faster on neighborhood ARPA allocations, press for stronger landlord enforcement, and lobby state leaders to keep scheduled funding for the North Spokane Corridor.

Hilliard-area residents urged the council and contract administrators to accelerate spending of $500,000 ARPA allocations for their district and to avoid small ‘activation’ grants that require matching funds. “We are ready to roll,” Hilliard resident Molly Hart said, asking the city and the contracted nonprofit to expedite façade, lighting and bike-rack projects.

Mikaela Robmeier, a renter and student, described the local rent burden and urged council support for state housing proposals and tenant protections. “Over 250,000 Washington residents are currently renting… the average person working 40 hours at minimum wage in Washington state in Spokane specifically will be spending more than 30% of their income on housing,” she said.

Thomas Bender and other residents asked the council to defend previously committed state funding for the North Spokane Corridor. Council members said they have raised the issue in Olympia and proposed resolutions and letters are in progress. “If it’s not completed, division connects cannot happen because the modeling assumes the North–South Freeway is finished,” Council member Michael Cathcart said.

Council members also described local enforcement options for substandard rental housing and noted existing programs for eviction prevention and rental assistance; several said targeting “bad landlords” with fines and enforcement would be more effective than blunt rent-control measures.

Ending: Council members pledged follow-up on ARPA timelines, landlord enforcement and coordinated legislative outreach to defend North Spokane Corridor funds.

","Town-hall attendees urged faster use of ARPA neighborhood dollars, better landlord enforcement and state action to keep North Spokane Corridor funding in place.",{"_33":97,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":98,"_41":99,"_43":100,"_45":101,"_47":102,"_49":103,"_51":104,"_53":105,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":106,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":107,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6123061,"Residents say Friendship Park and other Northeast Spokane sites show neighborhood disinvestment; council points to park-board authority and levy plans",379,1006000,1385000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892&start=1006&end=1385","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892/thumbnail_1006000.jpg","/articles/6123061/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Residents-say-Friendship-Park-and-other-Northeast-Spokane-sites-show-neighborhood-disinvestment-council-points-to-park-board-authority-and-levy-plans","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123061-ff4534e19f73cce1b8beca0b883a650b/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005801&Signature=hGi4lRVeMiyg5gMUKUbkOnVcY-4n~8quqmO5d7ylSTNjlTH04jy4TqUeh0Z~dqWSb4z1xRX2bqSpV0vm4wKt1b2bUy8Q4mdzhqco08toUeHYqdl~weuaQEDBUEETRGDOkhBr~u~7Cftbsc9Yqt6vSLoG~BVI3WK5R1D4OkBilK1DEOg3LRR1rXhc5ST37Es-JO-GdIoUH~v~s12Weq218O2TY4wNMqvgKdgZED6oG0VFhbQZkRV0dxgg7jC~XUKgNxpaTtrm-7RT4xgwUaJFW~PtdGYzqRtNTGQo0NjKbekY~i-lwZ7k-flRTU0QgTKsjMKOhJO9jDqr6ncfd7Aa7Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents at the town hall urged city leaders to address park deterioration and the larger disparities that follow from a lack of park space and tree canopy in parts of Northeast Spokane.

Angel Trout, a Shiloh Hills neighborhood council member, said the Washington Tracking Network gives Census Tract 112 the highest health‑risk score and described Friendship Park as “overgrown, cracked, and has tree trunks growing through the pavement” with no working water fountain. “Fixing the park isn’t just about the park,” Trout said. “It’s about healthy quality.”

Council members acknowledged long-term underfunding for parks, pointed to a park levy item that includes a planned new park in Shiloh Hills, and urged residents to engage with the Spokane Parks Board. Council member Michael Cathcart said portions of park funding had been moved into the general fund in the past and that a naming-rights proposal for a pavilion could generate $2.5 million for park work.

City staff and councilors also noted the limits of council authority over the park board and encouraged residents to attend park-board meetings and to use neighborhood advocacy to influence park decisions.

The town hall included a city salutation honoring Charles Hansen for neighborhood leadership, and the Northeast Community Center’s executive director Dave Richardson gave program statistics, describing services for families and youth provided by center partners in 2024.

What was not decided: No new parks funding was voted at the town hall; councilors said work is ongoing in levy implementation and in private‑land discussions to acquire new park space.

Ending: Council members asked residents to join board meetings and neighborhood efforts while councilors continued to press for levy-backed improvements and better maintenance.

","Speakers at the town hall described health and infrastructure disparities in Shiloh Hills and Northeast Spokane and asked the council to prioritize parks, water fountains and new park space; council members pointed to the park levy and independent park board as levers.",{"_33":109,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":110,"_41":111,"_43":112,"_45":113,"_47":114,"_49":115,"_51":116,"_53":117,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":118,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":119,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6123066,"Spokane councilors, chiefs and residents spar over traffic enforcement, sidewalks and red-light cameras",1479,5246000,6725000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892&start=5246&end=6725","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2691777-3745d9c3d6e13655a5a54a191b54e892/thumbnail_5246000.jpg","/articles/6123066/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-councilors-chiefs-and-residents-spar-over-traffic-enforcement-sidewalks-and-red-light-cameras","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6123066-60daa9938ea2cc5bea4f829f39ddf208/orig.mp4?Expires=1771005801&Signature=cUVFkq6ioakwBINfxdAXYfVBYx4kr3-A~9YjyGassQrwjCRDLVfQfr4CrhjLJFHsICXsGdrQLFtYAsMGNULooU3XeCagtMPMToEzsmvWPh42DTxFgSoRCG~zKvVwrfCl2UZXOwn~gmlPvLUztWQ055wHDBTfVR-znkoRqRAJgRCOZSCmMnHi8BYVJ-942cBoA1eXvjqgcE6XrTFGtH9HQ~xX656nhuGOwEC~2a7zRAAn6ICaUxGLAL4d9zFP6HJ2SUfHDuXq5CETHaFTBwieGrmrSl04Sp4bHRKm9A1mCUV2HNy~7ZVMX3QsY86h5LDZhWGiFZWLsxRguUCGQRQE6g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents and council members used a Spokane City Council town hall to press for more traffic enforcement, faster sidewalk infill and expanded red-light and speed-camera coverage. Chiefs and staff described a mix of increased patrols, technology and long-running infrastructure challenges.

Chief Kevin Hall said the department is “reconstituting a centralized traffic unit” funded by the public-safety levy, combining dedicated officers, reconstructionists and technology such as drones and cameras to change driving behavior and follow data on hotspots. “We wanna combine that because we are limited in our capacity and the number of officers we have with technology,” Hall said.

Council members and residents pressed for both short-term enforcement and long-term engineering fixes. Several speakers urged rapid responses after serious collisions. Spokane resident Eric Lowe pointed to WSDOT crash data and urged a council resolution directing adaptive traffic measures within 48 hours of traffic fatalities; he said Spokane had 22 traffic fatalities in 2024.

Sidewalks and missing connections were a recurring concern. Council members and staff said the city has about 650 miles of missing sidewalks and has explored a “sidewalk utility” to spread costs over years. Public-works staff warned repair rules vary by neighborhood; Abby, the city staff neighborhood connectivity manager, said missing sidewalks are easier to inventory than large-scale repairs and called for policy decisions about funding and scope.

Residents also asked for more consistent enforcement of vehicle registration and tabs; several speakers said unregistered drivers complicate crash investigations.

On cameras, Council member Luke Zippone said the council has allocated funding and the transportation director is moving a stalled camera rollout forward. “We did have a bottleneck in the previous administration of getting new cameras out, and that is being moved forward,” Zippone said.

What was not decided: No new camera locations or sidewalk-utility legislation was adopted at the town hall. Council members called for follow-up briefings and data presentations from transportation staff and the police on the new traffic unit’s operations and pilot camera sites.

Ending: Council members said they will pursue a mix of engineering, enforcement and funding changes and asked residents to keep reporting problems through 311 so data drives resource allocation.

","Town-hall speakers pushed for more traffic enforcement, faster sidewalk repairs and installation of cameras; police outlined a new centralized traffic unit and councilors described funding and program constraints.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Spokane leaders and residents call for tougher enforcement and services as parks, encampments and public safety top town-hall agenda

Council approves short extension to allow three final speakers at town hall

Residents press council on ARPA neighborhood grants, housing pressures and North Spokane Corridor funding

Residents say Friendship Park and other Northeast Spokane sites show neighborhood disinvestment; council points to park-board authority and levy plans

Spokane councilors, chiefs and residents spar over traffic enforcement, sidewalks and red-light cameras