[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-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",[32,75,87,99],{"_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",6231681,"mediaKeyId","3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413","parentId",3428963,"title","Council narrowly approves Spokane Regional Continuum of Care 2025–2035 strategic plan; critics press for measurable outcomes","audioSeconds",2496,"startMs",1898000,"endMs",4394000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413&start=1898&end=4394","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413/thumbnail_1898000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6231681/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-narrowly-approves-Spokane-Regional-Continuum-of-Care-20252035-strategic-plan-critics-press-for-measurable-outcomes","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231681-0ef341e6583946e39f90dd7ee11a8831/orig.mp4?Expires=1773582125&Signature=bhtKSE8f9owbnn4a098f64MPOpjwY~SSy8e9Ik6zYbAfcb8dfShHfsxnNRFJZ3m5KTQOPjfaka45WbURcvOTHghJLWCEUXxUvNtVSg7yMb45AMlKvfcG2jAjpSDZfsHuZshoI8sLaS6S7wd2-WiP3T8nt63qEU96~jdegoHxujNi5p0~u6ESR8DhkK6b5zUqyfqgGNCg~R7GkshmRgbB46rtzT9k7vOqDFlhJFz8lNJjw6y79dQug1lWWMomleLVIzoYp9pHZsJrrNjLijBbIvlkh3Z4MVapMqe5u4oKTyml616oHmXsIsbQZkREyFgCY93aoJd8~mNFp~VeSBlXLg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Spokane City, WA","date","2025-05-21T20:51:22.88Z","article","The Spokane City Council voted 5-2 to support the Spokane Regional Continuum of Care (CoC) strategic plan for 2025–2035, a regional framework presented as part of federal planning linked to HUD funding.

The resolution passed after extended public comment. Supporters described the plan as a collaborative, prevention-focused effort across Spokane County and partner jurisdictions; opponents — including multiple public commenters and a councilmember — criticized the plan as vague and urged stronger, measurable accountability for providers.

Why it matters: The CoC plan guides how the region applies federal homeless funding, prioritizes prevention, and coordinates services. The plan’s acceptance by the council signals Spokane’s participation and affects how local nonprofits and jurisdictions will measure and report outcomes.

Public comment and council debate
Sherry Barnett, a Spokane resident, said the city must be \"very tough\" on drug dealers and called for spiritual and moral renewal rather than continued spending on treatment cycles.

Will Hewings, a downtown resident, urged the council to reject the plan, calling it \"recycled political garbage\" and saying it lacks metrics, deadlines or tangible outcomes.

Justin Holler told the council there is too much money in what he called the \"homeless industrial complex\" and that the plan contains no clear metrics for success.

Council member Packard said he would not support the plan as presented and outlined alternative objectives focused on performance, public reporting, and provider accountability. He proposed measurable standards such as \"time to placement, exits to permanent housing, recidivism rates\" and recommended rewarding effective providers.

Council member Dillon defended the plan’s regional collaboration and highlighted a stronger emphasis on homeless prevention and eviction-diversion work, noting data that \"40 percent of those folks [facing eviction] have a disability.\" Council member McCallcard (commenting in the meeting) and others suggested the plan’s title could be reconsidered but recognized volunteer staff time behind the document.

What the council acted on
- Resolution 2025-0033: Support for the Spokane Regional Continuum of Care 2025–2035 strategic plan. Vote: 5 in favor, 2 opposed. Outcome: approved.

Discussion vs. decision: The council’s vote is a legislative endorsement of the regional strategic plan; the resolution does not itself create new city programs or new spending lines but aligns city policy with the CoC plan and the regional ILA the council approved on the consent agenda.

What to watch next: follow-up reporting and performance metrics the CoC will publish; how the city and county distribute federal HUD dollars and whether the council or administration adopts Packard’s recommended performance measures.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","May 19th, 2025 Spokane City Council Legislative Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","The Spokane City Council voted 5-2 to support the Spokane Regional Continuum of Care 2025–2035 strategic plan, drawing public criticism that the plan lacks measurable benchmarks.","taxTitle","Spokane, Spokane County, Washington","taxId",2644,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231682,"Spokane council approves city fleet electric vehicle purchases, accepts state grant for charging stations amid public skepticism",744,420000,1164000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413&start=420&end=1164","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413/thumbnail_420000.jpg","/articles/6231682/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Spokane-council-approves-city-fleet-electric-vehicle-purchases-accepts-state-grant-for-charging-stations-amid-public-skepticism","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231682-bba2f9011a6e5bd46d0f42fd14294dbc/orig.mp4?Expires=1773582125&Signature=PNhMpNPGrAm2hV8OH48LUeqNYrEPz02vK7yaOtHokxRRYlKyB~EC5ZLNvUs~aPCk5gqaCwi1jQXdrb5erz9cAIM6qVKzvTcZhHg62tudkt5z8so5vpOL0hq59s20L7gj3TsJ0C~ffBQBc0RzEk3l4PQbOqIC7~CRD13lagaEDzne3wMjCys2nE3xjJyvwBFtOHTASX5GY1V5h6YCqNKRRIqden~htkvLHtT1IxnTjIhwMvfZm3Xp4H4QVVnc1HGbjqgGzkmfM2KrPi6bvkj6fHHdxeI1lIwlzN~ZzpSDve4oa6~MmP7jzkD~9s6Uurbgl9WPUoKNMkPV0hJ-iaznOw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Spokane City Council voted to approve purchases of electric vehicles for the city motor pool and to accept a Department of Ecology grant for 10 Level 2 charging stations.

Supporters said the purchases respond to a state push toward electrification for municipal fleets, while public commenters urged caution about grid reliability and called for alternative approaches. Councilmembers who voted for the items emphasized limits on where fully electric vehicles will be used.

City Council members approved the consent agenda that included the motor-pool vehicle purchases and later passed Ordinance C.36678 amending the biennial budget to accept the Ecology grant for charger installation. The consent vote passed 7-0.

Why it matters: the purchases and charging-station grant move Spokane toward electrifying portions of its fleet and expanding charging infrastructure. Speakers during public comment said Spokane should be careful about costs and the reliability of the electrical grid, while some urged the city to buy different makes.

Public comment and council response
Will Hewings, a downtown resident, objected to the planned buys and urged the city to choose Tesla vehicles instead of the Ford models under consideration, saying, \"If the city is going to spend nearly a hundred thousand dollars on electric vehicles, why settle for inferior products like the Ford Lightning and Ford Mach E?\" Will Hewings also criticized what he called a \"rushed\" move to EVs and provided comparisons by email, per the record.

Sherry Barnett, who identified herself as a Spokane resident, said the city should be \"trying to save as much money as we can\" and warned of grid vulnerabilities: \"If we get in trouble as far as our electrical grid goes... we will be cooked goose. We need to be very careful that we keep enough to take care of all emergencies under the diesel and the gas powered vehicles.\"

Justin Holler, calling in, asked whether the city could buy hybrid vehicles first and questioned specific line items, saying, \"Can't we deal with hybrids first?\" He also pressed for clearer public budget information on homelessness and other expenditures.

Council members framed the decision narrowly. Council member Bingo said, \"At no point will I ever support patrol vehicles or fire engines that are purely electric\" but voiced support for adding EVs to the motor pool where \"lives are not on the line\" and noted a state mandate pushing municipalities toward electrification. Council member Keckhardt said he opposes purchasing higher-end vehicles for generic pool use and called for the most cost-effective options; he also reiterated opposition to deploying EVs for patrol or emergency response.

What the council approved
- Consent agenda item(s) authorizing procurement of electric motor-pool vehicles (OPR references included on the agenda). Passed 7-0.
- Ordinance C.36678, which amends the biennial budget to accept a Department of Ecology grant for installation of 10 Level 2 charging stations (related to consent item OPR-2025-0333). Passed 7-0.

Discussion vs. decision: The council voted to approve the purchases and the charging-station grant. Debate centered on appropriate EV use (motor pool vs. emergency vehicles), total cost, and grid resiliency; no formal direction to change procurement specs was recorded during the meeting.

What to watch next: implementation details for the charging-station installations (locations and timeline) and any future council deliberations about specifications for fleet acquisitions or exemptions for emergency vehicles.","The Spokane City Council voted to approve electric vehicles for the city motor pool and to accept a Department of Ecology grant to install 10 Level 2 charging stations.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231673,"Council creates play-streets and block-party program; debate over administrative \"public rule\" language fails to change ordinance",857,3054000,3911000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413&start=3054&end=3911","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413/thumbnail_3054000.jpg","/articles/6231673/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Council-creates-play-streets-and-block-party-program-debate-over-administrative-public-rule-language-fails-to-change-ordinance","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231673-d07d366d83c9f911483418dd1891e50d/orig.mp4?Expires=1773582125&Signature=XRcuhZulbPa929QpNrk2DqJE85TZTZTWtCVOX94egLftL3a1Xr013aeMcdpqFadY~aZoVEZzeYnzKi-nhFL5EQ2eXpFzKZYrWKanQViuFiB7wMGYcAdif0nE8uhpSfX37cMHRVjEhv6S6uvF~PE3LvM90z2XPf3oSrkEJExYylDd3Kp17u7QRrvVUvKaEQjGxnmgOH6ImCr8l4mu1YAEQXdLpA4nwZupyvszzKhSZyhZIMmeun5s-mI0XgTsXDfNTyGJaZHilpE~FICoD3OXOY2fk~q3BEfD6EfZOhBo3OEsOZT8jS3DUbHflaiOs5mWaFPbI-~KU-apaUSGLV7udA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Spokane City Council unanimously adopted an ordinance establishing a Play Streets and Neighborhood Block Party program that adds a new section to the Spokane Municipal Code to enable temporary street closures for neighborhood events.

The ordinance passed 7-0 after public comment and council discussion about program policy transparency, equipment lending, and the process for administrative policies. A motion to suspend the rules and amend the ordinance’s policy language to require a public-rule process failed, but councilmembers discussed using public rules in the future to increase transparency.

Why it matters: The ordinance is intended to make it easier for neighborhoods to host block parties and play-street events by clarifying permitting, providing for safety reviews by police and fire, and exploring equipment lending (barriers, signs) to reduce cost barriers for small neighborhood events.

Public comment and council debate
Sherry Barnett asked whether the program would create ongoing public costs and urged the council to consider whether the program would add expense for some neighbors.

Will Hewings strongly opposed the ordinance on grounds that streets exist primarily for transportation; he said the city should focus on higher-priority problems and described the proposal as a \"waste\" in light of public-safety and homelessness concerns.

Council discussion focused on process and implementation. Council member McCutcard moved to require that the policy be a public rule; the motion to suspend rules to amend the language failed. Council member Klitsky and others said block-party permitting already requires police and fire sign-off to ensure safe ingress and egress, and that the program would provide a low-cost option to increase neighborhood connections. Council member Bigel (who said he owns an events business) supported accessible equipment lending and noted potential mental-health benefits from social connection.

What the council approved
- Ordinance C.3676 (creation of play-streets and neighborhood block party program, new SMC section 16A.0.840.09). Passed 7-0.
- A failed motion to suspend rules to alter Section C language to require a public-rule process; the council voted down the suspension.

Discussion vs. decision: Council approved the ordinance and left policy specifics (equipment lending, administrative procedures) to the administration. Councilmembers asked for transparency about the policies and noted the need for safe permits processed through police and fire reviews.

What to watch next: whether the administration develops program policies as a public rule or as internal administrative guidance, and where rentable equipment is stored and funded (councilmembers mentioned existing \"cop shop\" storage as one option).","The Spokane City Council adopted an ordinance to create a Play Streets and Neighborhood Block Party program, including a new municipal code section and provisions for program policies and equipment lending; an effort to require policies be adopted as a public rule failed, but councilmembers emphasized safety and permitting requirements.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6231676,"Neighbors, realtors urge Spokane council to revisit infill rules after single-lot redevelopment yields 11 new units",683,4140000,4823000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413&start=4140&end=4823","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3428963-b18d595eac964dae18be54b2081ef413/thumbnail_4140000.jpg","/articles/6231676/Spokane/Spokane-County/Washington/Neighbors-realtors-urge-Spokane-council-to-revisit-infill-rules-after-single-lot-redevelopment-yields-11-new-units","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6231676-a6ec8d818e4005ffc780da5d60a9b699/orig.mp4?Expires=1773582125&Signature=hhAVj2nDhOTwppPqKvRJa6BM-9NuiOpSM1ULPoQaIhDU10O5l7lYIn1epTb0v5O-13IQCen~n5oH~~9kCz2DJau7EseUB4Z4cNj9Iss1Kkmtld5U8P-teiFf~xpP3q~~WDidJDueBUSGXgH39yyB2l~WFAi-bQGcROVi61E-RFVAUtptsPzT3KVPR8YbTyCi52Gx9q6Bp8W9IS~FlzeN6oVlicBh9laWgD10hPB75uAP7TOcbbrzyKs~bpEbvcYQEuW23-cmGy~4zW5VZJM1ASSZG9LawbkPSCxO~lAdQnC4IiP3-ggpfuCxb7Y5fMmJrWmFo9kFdIzmuHs8QCZa1w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Multiple residents and a longtime realtor told the Spokane City Council the city’s recent infill code changes are producing unintended results: lot splits and higher-priced construction rather than lower-cost housing.

Speakers described a single-family property on East 20th Avenue that was demolished and redeveloped into 11 units, raised concerns about parking exemptions and mature-tree removal, and urged the city to re-examine the Building Opportunity for Housing changes and the related accessory dwelling unit (ADU) regulations.

Why it matters: The city’s infill and ADU rules are intended to increase housing supply. Neighbors said developers are using the new code to maximize profit and create market-rate units priced well above the area median, while removing canopy trees and increasing on-street parking pressure.

Public comments and evidence
Dawn Schuster (spelled in the record as Dawn Schuster), a Rockwood neighborhood resident, said code changes that reduced minimum lot sizes and removed parking requirements are being used by developers to create higher-priced dwellings. She said a single home was replaced by a development that will contain 11 homes including duplexes and an ADU; she told the council, \"The last thing on his mind is making these houses affordable.\" She cited the Building Opportunity for Housing ordinance and an asserted local shortage of 32,000 housing units noted in the ordinance text.

Craig Hemmens, a neighbor to the project, said developers \"have found the ability to take advantage of\" the infill changes. He said the developer removed a large rock and about 31 of 40 trees on the lot without a permit and asked the city for better accountability.

Mary Storer, another Rockwood resident, raised parking and canopy concerns: \"The parking exemptions ... lead to overcrowded streets, blocked driveways, and safety concerns,\" and she recommended returning minimum lot widths to something closer to 50 feet.

Mary Anne Bornhoft, a realtor with 30 years' experience, said she supports smart infill but that the 11-unit redevelopment at East 20th is excessive given no off-street parking and the loss of a 75-year-old maple; she urged checkpoints and preservation questions for older homes.

City process and code context
At the meeting the council had first readings of ordinances amending Title 17 to update ADU regulations in accordance with House Bill 1337; those were first readings and were not adopted at final reading that night. Speakers repeatedly linked the project at 1111 E. 20th Avenue to the new infill rules enacted under the Building Opportunity for Housing initiative and asked the city to consider changes to lot-width minimums, parking requirements and tree-protection enforcement.

Discussion vs. decision: The meeting recorded public comments and first readings of code amendments related to ADUs and infill (ordinance C.36696 among others), but the council did not adopt new substantive code changes on the spot for the issues raised. Residents asked council and staff to revisit code language and enforcement practices; no formal direction or amendment to the underlying infill ordinance was recorded at the meeting.

What to watch next: whether staff or council refer adjustments to parking, minimum lot widths, tree protections, or post-construction enforcement to a planning commission review or a subsequent ordinance.","Residents and a local realtor told the council the Building Opportunity for Housing code changes are enabling lot splits and high-priced developments that do not create affordable housing, citing a specific project at 1111 E. 20th Ave that replaced a single home with 11 units and removed mature trees.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Council narrowly approves Spokane Regional Continuum of Care 2025–2035 strategic plan; critics press for measurable outcomes

Spokane council approves city fleet electric vehicle purchases, accepts state grant for charging stations amid public skepticism

Council creates play-streets and block-party program; debate over administrative "public rule" language fails to change ordinance

Neighbors, realtors urge Spokane council to revisit infill rules after single-lot redevelopment yields 11 new units