Mayor Lisa Brown signed the "Ban the Address" ordinance at a public ceremony in Spokane, formalizing a City Council measure sponsored by Council Member Paul Dillon that bars employers from excluding job applicants because they lack a permanent address or are experiencing homelessness.

The ordinance "prevents discrimination against unhoused people seeking employment," Brown said, adding the policy "enhances fair hiring practices" and aims to ensure "everyone has a chance for employment and a successful outcome." She thanked council members, nonprofit partners and private‑sector employers who worked with programs such as the city's PEP employment preparation program and community groups including Dignified Workday.

Council Member Dylan said Spokane may be the first city in the country to pass such an ordinance and described the vote as "a special moment for us." Dylan highlighted testimony given earlier in the process by James Bodie, quoting Bodie: "I've never been happier," and saying employment had been his path out of homelessness.

City officials named several local partners backing the policy, including Career Path Services, Jules Helping Hands, the Spokane Business Association, MultiCare and SEIU 1199 Northwest. Former Council President Beggs was mentioned by Dylan as often saying that when Spokane leads, others follow.

The mayor's remarks and the council's sponsors framed the ordinance as removing a practical barrier to hiring for people without permanent addresses and as part of broader efforts to connect people experiencing homelessness to employment and apprenticeship opportunities. The transcript and ceremony indicate the council previously passed the ordinance; the signing ceremony completed the city's formal enactment. The text of the ordinance, any implementing regulations, the ordinance number, and the council vote tally were not specified in the remarks excerpted at the ceremony.

After signing, Brown handed the pen to a council member as part of the ceremonial event. Dylan said there was "a lot more work ahead" to address homelessness in Spokane but that the ordinance represented progress.

The ceremony combined formal action (the mayor's signing) with public acknowledgment of community partners and earlier public testimony; officials did not provide specific implementation deadlines or a detailed enforcement mechanism during the remarks on the record.