Spokane opens scattered-site shelter beds and navigation center; leaders warn funding uncertain

Mayor Lisa Brown announced the opening of additional scattered-site shelter locations and a housing navigation center in Spokane on a morning press event at Family Promise, saying the new sites add about 155 beds and that the city’s inclement-weather system now includes more than 100 beds.

"Today is a good day as we open additional locations, in our new navigation center, small scale scattered site shelter model in the city," Mayor Lisa Brown said, noting the city still relies on an underlying system of nonprofit shelters and about 950 emergency shelter beds already in the county.

The announcement described a shift from large congregate shelters toward scattered-site models aimed at specific populations, including people in recovery and families with infants. "Our goal is to provide a scatter site shelter space that helps people empowers the people that we serve ... to focus on their long term goals," said Hallie Birchenille, a representative of Compassionate Addiction Treatment, which will operate a recovery-focused scattered site at…