Spokane Council defers unhoused discrimination prevention ordinance.
Housing status is not yet a protected classification in Spokane.
Last night, in a four to one vote, the city council decided to defer a measure that adds housing status to a list that already includes things like race, religion and military status.
This came after a wave of divided public commentary, which the sponsors of the resolution said has made it clear they need to take time to build consensus around the issue and combat misinformation in the community.
Much of the commentary delivered against the ordinance focused on the idea that the city would be giving unhoused people a license to break the law, which ordinance sponsor Councilmember Lili Navarrete pushed back on.
Navarrete reiterated that the measure would simply protect unhoused people from discrimination based on their lack of housing.
The Washington Tenants Union has thrown its support behind the ordinance.
“Tenants have such little power in the balance of power with their landlords, and they become homeless," Interim Executive Director Terri Anderson said. "And I don't think that it's fair to add another burden of being discriminated against.”
Anderson said tenants are face higher rates of eviction, which has led her to support the measure.
“We get calls all the time when people are getting evicted, and they are afraid, obviously, because they don't want to be living out on the streets," she told SPR News. "They will say, ‘I don't want my boss to find out because I'm afraid I'll get fired.’ I've heard that before.”
The ordinance would also have protected people seeking homelessness services against unreasonable searches of their person or property.
For now, the council has pushed back their decision for two weeks.
City mulling changes to Spokane Falls Boulevard
Spokane city officials are planning, over the next few years, to make improvements to Spokane Falls Boulevard. That includes replacing underground pipes and other infrastructure that date back to the late 19th century.
Spokesperson Kirstin Davis said planners are in the midst of a study as to what else to include in the renovation work.
Among the ideas is a proposal to turn the one-way section between Division and Stevens into a two-way. She says the goal is to provide better access to the convention center, First Interstate Center for the Arts and businesses in the area.
“That area of Spokane Falls Boulevard is very wide, so there would be the physical space to change that to have a lane heading eastbound and still maintain some lanes going westbound,” Davis told SPR News. “We’re not saying that that’s in the plans or anything. We’re just saying these are the kinds of things, it’s a good time to stop and say, would this work? Does this make sense?”
City officials are looking for guidance from the public. They’ve posted a survey online for people to share their opinions. The deadline to fill out the survey is September 13.
French takes lead in Spokane Co. Commission primary
Spokane County Commissioner Al French pulled into a 749-vote lead over his challenger, Molly Marshall, Monday evening.
The primary race between the longtime Republican incumbent and the Democratic contender has been tight since Election Day. Marshall, a community organizer and retired Air National Guard pilot, led French by 48 votes in the initial blush of results released Tuesday night. French predicted he would gain from late ballots, which tend to be submitted by Republican voters. Indeed, Marshall’s lead narrowed as more voters were counted.
Out of 26,789 votes cast in the District 5 race, Marshall and French are currently separated by about two percentage points.
French spoke with SPR News after initial results were released last week. He compared this year’s primary to his 2022 race against Democrat Maggie Yates, in which Yates topped the primary but French won the general.
“This is not unusual territory from my standpoint,” French said. “We’re pretty much where we thought we’d be on Election Day. The real race is between now and November 5.”
Marshall and French’s close pace will not prompt an automatic recount. Under Washington law, according to Spokane County Auditor Vicky Dalton, an automatic recount can be held to determine second- and third-place finishers in the state’s top-two primary system. French and Marshall are the only two candidates in the race. They will both run in the November general election regardless of how close their respective primary results are.
Spokane nonprofit offers back-to-school help
This afternoon, local immigrant families can get free school supplies and connect to resources they need before the school year starts.
The Spokane nonprofit Manzanita House is throwing a “Back to School Block Party.”
Executive Director Pat Castaneda told SPR News it was important to the organization to make the space accessible to their clientele.
“Some of our staff members are also immigrants, and then we're able to communicate with them in their own language,” Castaneda said. “And we have interpreters that sometimes come with some of the agencies that attend, so they feel welcome and they feel that we are really passionate about what we do.”
Though the event is aimed at immigrant and refugee families, all are welcome, Castaneda said.
“We are offering our services and resources to a specific community because we feel that there are not many services offered for them," she told SPR News. "But by all means, if you are not from the immigrant community and you have a need, we never say no.”
Families can pick up backpacks and school supplies, as well as connect with organizations that distribute fresh food or do sports physicals for kids.
The event will be held in the parking lot of Knox Presbyterian Church in Spokane’s Emerson Garfield neighborhood. It runs from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.
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Reporting was contributed by Owen Henderson, Doug Nadvornick and Brandon Hollingsworth.