As part of the PlanSpokane 2046 Comprehensive Plan Periodic Update, the City of Spokane is seeking to better understand how to support existing housing while also addressing future housing needs. With that goal in mind, the City has undertaken several directed projects analyzing local housing needs and capacity. Many of these are mandated and guided by changes to the Growth Management Act adopted by the State Legislature in recent years. These include the 2023 “Middle Housing Bill” (House Bill or “HB” 1110) and the 2021 housing needs bill (HB 1220).
All of the following work builds upon the Housing Action Plan, adopted in July 2021. Visit the Housing Action Plan page for more information regarding that essential effort.
Work completed to date includes the City’s Land Capacity Analysis, adopted by City Council in February (Res 2025-0015) and the Accommodating Affordable Housing report, published in July. Others are still underway, including the City’s consideration and analysis of Racially Disparate Impacts and Displacement and a supplemental analysis of emergency housing in the city. Work on the Periodic Update continues and is expected to be complete in 2026. These reports and analyses will help the City better understand and address the Community’s needs through solutions that will be considered for PlanSpokane 2046.
More information about each effort can be found below, including the various reports and their results, as well as the legislation and policy that led to these efforts.
Adopted February 2025
The Land Capacity Analysis represents the first look at the growth of the city. It includes an analysis of all properties inside City limits, especially those where future housing development might occur, and measures that capacity against adopted growth projections for Spokane. This analysis has been a long-standing requirement of the Growth Management Act, required any time the City updates its Comprehensive Plan. Learn more.
The Accommodating Affordable Housing analysis followed on the heels of the recently adopted Land Capacity Analysis and looks at housing trends and affordability citywide to inform the capacity existing land in the City has for accommodating new housing at various levels of affordability. This is a new requirement of the Growth Management Act, resulting from passage of HB1220. Learn more.
The Racially Disparate Impacts analysis investigates how policies and practices have disproportionately and adversely shaped the housing experience of different racial groups within Spokane’s community. This analysis will help identify policy recommendations to begin to undo harms. The Displacement Risk Assessment will identify populations and communities that are the most vulnerable to housing loss due to various factors, supporting the establishment of measures that help residents remain in their neighborhoods. Learn more.
Expected Fall 2025
The Emergency Housing Capacity work is a supplemental analysis to Accommodating Affordable Housing and will explore the number of emergency housing beds in the City, comparing those to projected need over the next 20 years. Emergency housing includes shelters and other overnight accommodations for those either experiencing homelessness or in danger of losing their home and is temporary in nature. Permanent housing need is discussed in detail under Accommodating Affordable Housing.
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City of Spokane
Department of Planning Services
809 W. Spokane Falls Blvd.
Spokane, WA 99201
509.625.6500
PlanSpokane@spokanecity.org
