Maren Murphy, Assistant Planner - Community & Economic Development, 509.625.6737
Wednesday, August 25, 2021 at 11:25 a.m.
The Spokane Housing Action Plan (HAP) was adopted by City Council on July 26, 2021. The final Housing Action Plan is the result of over a year of data analysis, policy discussions, and community engagement with residents, housing stakeholders, agency partners, City staff, and elected officials. The City received a grant from the Washington Department of Commerce to help identify actions to increase housing options. The purpose of the HAP is to develop policy that will promote greater housing diversity, affordability, and access to opportunity for residents of all income levels in Spokane.
The HAP follows a data-driven, community-informed approach, seeking a focus on equity, to understand the current state of housing needs, identify trends, and develop strategies which can address the need for more housing for all types. This plan presents strategies that have been identified as potential actions to encourage the construction of additional affordable and market-rate housing that meets Spokane’s current and future housing needs. The HAP can also guide implementation of Comprehensive Plan policies by identifying strategies and gaps to further encourage housing development to meet our housing goals and policies.
The City outlines four priorities in the HAP:
During adoption, the HAP was amended by the City Council and includes the City Council Implementation Plan in Appendix A that prioritizes strategies of land-use changes, financial incentives, administrative reform, rental housing market support, and housing equity strategies.
The HAP covers a spectrum of proposed actions to help guide the development of more housing and preservation of existing housing for Spokane. The final plan itself provides guidance and expresses intent for direction, but does not make changes directly. It is important to note that if and when each action is undertaken, it will be subject to its own public process of review and adoption.
Housing affordability is both a local and regional challenge. There are many different factors that influence the housing market, including the financial sector, housing supply, housing demand, resident preferences, and stakeholders and partners. While the City of Spokane plays an important role in setting housing policy, addressing Spokane’s housing challenges will require partnerships and support across the community and region.
The final Housing Action Plan and Resolution are available on the project page, along with documents and materials from the planning process.
