City of Spokane Announces Next Chapter of HOME Starts Here Initiative

Spokane city officials, including Mayor Lisa Brown, Councilmember Zack Zappone, and Police Chief Kevin Hall, will announce the next phase of the H. O. M. E. Starts Here initiative during a Public Safety meeting and a press conference.

The initiative will roll out a daytime navigation center and a new street outreach team to address public camping and open drug use. Officers will gain more discretion in issuing citations, with a focus on creating new interventions for repeat offenders. Collaborations with community and business partners will help draft recommendations for updating the engagement and enforcement ordinance. Mayor Brown stated that the goal is to balance outreach and enforcement for those in crisis. Councilmember Zappone echoed the importance of compassion and accountability in resolving public disorder issues.

Chief Hall pointed out that data indicates a need for officers to have more tools for accountability. The press conference will provide further details on the initiative's goals and the ordinance updates.