H.O.M.E. Starts Here

The H.O.M.E. Starts Here Initiative seeks to create a unified strategy for the City of Spokane to meaningfully address the complex factors that contribute to housing instability and homelessness.

This proposal emerged from City leaders' recognition of the need for a city-wide guiding plan that focuses on healthcare, outreach, multidisciplinary engagement, economic stability and where these areas intersect. The ordinance will execute a comprehensive cross-departmental, data-driven, and evidence-based approach targeting these four areas to achieve housing stability, reduce and prevent homelessness, and ensure public health and safety.

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This ordinance establishes key indicators of success:

  • Reducing the number of Spokane residents who are housing cost-burdened
  • Growing the median household income
  • Adding new housing units at all income levels
  • Expanding homeownership rates
  • Increasing the percentage of people who have access to healthcare
View Proposed Ordinance

  • Inclement Weather, Siting, and Good Neighbor Agreements

    The Spokane City Council is putting forward an additional ordinance to codify best practices for siting and activating inclement weather centers, as well as emergency and transitional housing facilities. This ordinance will:

    • Change requirements for inclement weather activation to an index measure
    • Codify community engagement and neighborhood notice requirements for any City-funded shelters with more than 20 beds
    • Require and outline a process for "Good Neighbor" agreements between the City of Spokane and shelter providers
    View Proposed Ordinance

  • Engagement and Enforcement

    This ordinance consolidates the intent of existing laws of disorder and unauthorized camping into single, unified policy. This proposal:

    • Ensures everyone has access to public property and rights-of-way by regulating the conduct of people knowingly obstructing access
    • Prohibits unauthorized camping
    • Prioritizes engagement subject to enforcement by connecting people to evidence-based navigation services
    • Provides law enforcement a clear and more consistent enforcement mechanism
    View Proposed Ordinance