City of Spokane Announces Next Chapter of HOME Starts Here Initiative

Spokane city officials will introduce the next phase of the H. O. M. E. Starts Here initiative, which aims to enhance engagement and enforcement regarding public camping and open drug use.

Mayor Lisa Brown, Councilmember Zack Zappone, and Police Chief Kevin Hall will present their plans during a Public Safety meeting and a press conference scheduled for Tuesday. The initiative will empower officers with increased discretion to issue citations while introducing new outreach strategies to assist individuals in crisis. The city plans to launch a daytime navigation center and a coordinated street outreach team to connect those in need with essential resources. Mayor Brown highlighted the necessity of balancing compassion with public safety, stating that the updates aim to hold accountable those who violate the law repeatedly. Recommendations for the ordinance updates will be developed in collaboration with community partners and the Spokane Police Department.

Based on existing data, Chief Hall noted the need for more accountability tools to align with the new outreach model. The press conference will provide further details on the initiative's objectives and implementation.