Mayor Brown Reflects on Progress and Outlines Next Steps in Annual Statement of Conditions and Affairs

Erin Hut, Communications Director, ehut@spokanecity.org

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 at 11:07 a.m.

Mayor Lisa Brown delivered her second annual Statement of Conditions and Affairs Monday evening, highlighting progress on community safety, housing, fiscal responsibility, and community partnerships, while acknowledging the work that still lies ahead to continue building a stronger, safer Spokane.  

In her remarks, Mayor Brown praised the city’s 2,200 employees for maintaining essential services despite a challenging budget year.  

“Every day, they make sure that clean water flows into your house and treat the 10.4 billion gallons of wastewater that flows out, all while protecting the river and aquifer. They maintain and plow 2,100 miles of streets. They take away 34 million pounds of recycling, 40 million pounds of organics, and collect a about a gazillion million pounds of refuse each year,” Mayor Brown said. “They answer your calls for help, putting their own lives at risk for our collective safety.”  

Facing a $13 million budget deficit, the mayor reaffirmed her commitment to balancing the budget and restoring reserves without compromising core services or community safety.  

She outlined several key achievements from the past year, including:  

  • Community Safety: Reinstating the Fire Academy and Neighborhood Resource Officer program, restoring the traffic safety unit, and reducing police vacancies to the lowest level in a decade.  
  • Homelessness Response: Transitioning from the costly and ineffective Trent Resource and Assistance Center to the new Navigation Center and scattered site model, where more than 40 percent of participants are moving into housing.  
  • Opioid Epidemic and Addiction Response: Expanding partnerships with local partners to address behavioral health and opioid addiction, expanding co-responder teams, and hiring a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney to prosecute narcotics crimes in city limits.  
  • Housing and Economic Development: Passing bipartisan housing reform, setting permitting records, supporting small businesses with ARPA funding, and promoting the creative economy.  

As Spokane grows by nearly 1,000 people each year, Mayor Brown urged collaboration across government, business, and nonprofit sectors.  

“With collaboration, careful planning, and a shared vision, I know we can continue building a Spokane that is stronger and safer for everyone who calls it home,” she said.  

Watch her full remarks here.