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Council agrees to bring forward plan for a permanent homeless and housing task force with broadened membership
Summary
Staff recommended, and the council agreed to advance, a resolution creating a permanent homeless and housing task force that would expand the interim body from seven to nine members and add an ex officio City of Spokane representative. The proposed composition includes government, business, housing authority and lived-experience participants; cou
Councilors on Jan. 14 gave staff direction to return with a resolution establishing a permanent homeless and housing task force with an expanded membership and clarified sector representation.
Gloria Mance, City Services Administrator, presented the interim task force recommendations: keep the core representation from Spokane Valley and Spokane County, business, schools and the housing authority, and expand the group from seven to nine members. Staff recommended adding a City of Spokane ex officio representative and adding flexible sector slots for up to two people with lived experience and positions representing behavioral health, health care providers, law and justice, and potentially private builders or developers.
Council members discussed possible additions and composition concerns. Council Member Padden suggested including private developers to reflect market perspectives. Council Member Wicht said he supported adding housing developers as distinct from a generic business representative. Staff confirmed the term length proposed in the draft resolution would be three years for the standing body and that an interim task force would remain in place until the permanent group is seated.
What’s next: Staff will bring a formal resolution forward for council action incorporating council’s requests on sector representation and will publish the nomination process and terms for the permanent task force.
