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

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.