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City council approves additional inclement-weather contracts after debate over shelters and transparency
Summary
Spokane City Council voted to fund expanded inclement-weather shelter capacity, approving contracts with Salvation Army, Revive Counseling and Catholic Charities after debate about shelter types, transparency and neighborhood impacts.
The Spokane City Council on March 3 approved amendments to its inclement-weather contracts to expand emergency shelter capacity, voting to fund the Salvation Army and Revive Counseling together and separately approving an amendment for Catholic Charities.
Council took the votes after public comment from residents and service providers who urged either more shelter funding or changes to how taxpayer dollars are used. Tracy Guzman Kowalski, a social work student and crisis-response intern, told the council the amendment “allocates an additional $220,000 to expand emergency shelter services,” calling the funding “a lifeline for Spokane’s most vulnerable community members, unsheltered individuals, people with disabilities and low-income families who face extreme risks during severe weather conditions.”
The votes followed a round of commentary both for and…
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