Mayor

Mayor Brown's Initiatives

Mayor Lisa Brown is committed to building a safer, stronger, and more vibrant Spokane for everyone. Through targeted investments, strategic partnerships, thoughtful policy, and innovative programs, these efforts are designed to address today's challenges while creating opportunities for the future.

Safe and Healthy

• Banned the sale and distribution of Kratom products
• Established the Spokane United 911 Network as the City of Spokane's Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP)
• Created zoning restrictions that prohibit new liquor stores near schools, parks, and community centers
• Made investments in treatment and outreach utilizing the City's opioid abatement funds
• Reestablished the Neighborhood Resource Officer Program
• Launched the First Community Health Impact Area and reinstated the downtown Alcohol Impact Area
• Increased penalties for individuals caught illegally dumping waste, litter, and construction debris
• Worked with the U.S. Attorney's Office to fund a Special US Assistant Attorney to focus on narcotics prosecution within City limits
• Expanded street medicine outreach in partnership with CHAS
• Launched a "Know the Number" campaign to improve awareness of appropriate agencies and numbers to know for calls for service
• Streamlined the civil infraction process and created a repeat offender process to hold repeat violators accountable
• Led the passage of the Community Safety Fund, establishing new funding for community safety priorities, including additional funding for the Office of Police Ombudsman

Housing/Homelessness

• Closed the Trent Resource and Assistance Center (TRAC) to save the City millions in maintenance, utilities, and operational costs
• Launched the City's navigation center-scattered site shelter model, offering comprehensive support services during daytime hours and connecting residents with mental health care, addiction treatment, and housing placement services through individualized case management.
• Opened a medical respite facility for vulnerable individuals
• Established the HEART Fund to expand affordable housing options and services, while simulteanously putting forward an affordable housing development legislative package
• Established a building permit fee deferral program for affordable housing projects to make it easier for affordable housing developers to get projects off the ground
• Created a program to allow the waiving of general facilities charges for permanent affordable housing projects (based on a bill the City got passed by the state legislature
• • Collaborated with regional partners to launch a data dashboard to increase understanding of the homelessness system
• Established a sales and use tax deferral program for developers converting commercial property to affordable housing
• Eliminated parking minimums that created barriers to housing
• Protected renters from unlawful evictions of rental properties that do not have a business license and have not registered with the City's Rental Registry Program

Arts and Culture

• Arts Office
• Established the 'Spokane Play Streets' program, waiving permit fees for neighborhood block parties and partnering with the Spokane Public Library to lend traffic safety equipment
• Issued an executive order to strengthen community and cultural events

Transportation and Sustainability

• Established the Climate Resilience and Sustainability Board to help guide the City's climate change mitigation and resiliency initiatives
• Signed an updated "Complete Streets" ordinance to reaffirm the City of Spokane's commitment to maintaining streets that are safely accessible to all who use them
• Launched the "27x27" urban mobility network project
• Passed a comprehensive traffic safety package that banned right turns on red downtown, created the Play Streets program, re-established the Spokane Police Department’s Traffic Safety Unit, expanded the Automated Traffic Camera program, and created the Traffic Fatality Review Team
• Established the City's first Transportation Commission to improve community engagement on all transportation system improvements
• Signed legislation implementing Safe Streets infrastructure

Economic Development and Vitality

• Conducted a comprehensive update and rewrite of development code to streamline permitting and create clarity for builders
• Eliminating height restrictions
• Launched an Economic Development Rapid Response Team
• Executed an awareness campaign for the Washington Working Families Tax Credit Program, significantly increasing take-up rates
• Transitioned the City to a biennial budget to improve long-term financial stability

Childcare

• Partnered with Spokane Public Schools to expand childcare access
• Streamlined the siting process for daycare and childcare facilities

Immigration, Indigenous, and Cultural Affairs

• Created the Spokane Urban Native Advisory Council (SUNAC)
• Reestablished Spokane Gives
• Provided Financial Support to families impacted by civil immigration enforcement
• Created the "Know Your Rights" resource page