Spokane, Spokane County return to idea of creating regional homeless authority

(The Center Square) – The City of Spokane is returning to the idea of a regional homeless authority after its city council killed the initiative last summer over several concerns and potentially unrealistic goals.

Spokane County Commissioner Amber Waldref refreshed the council’s memory during a meeting last Thursday before discussing how to potentially revive the idea again.

“We have new leadership at the city; we have new council members,” Waldref said. “We needed to kind of take a step back and let folks catch up on the conversation.”

Despite the county’s first year-over-year decrease in overall homelessness in January, more and more people are turning to life on the streets. While many municipalities across the region tout their own five-year plans, Waldref said the lack of a regional approach limits the overall impact.

Waldref said those communities are becoming overwhelmed by the homeless population’s growing needs, which housing and comprehensive support services can’t keep up with. Now, the communities are rallying together to give the idea some momentum again.

She said the relevant committees and t...