SPOKANE, Wash. – The Spokane City Council unanimously passed the amended Safe and Accessible Public Space ordinance Monday night. The ordinance, co-sponsored by all seven council members, aims to provide Spokane police with clearer instructions and firmer discretion in enforcing anti-camping and obstruction laws.
During the public comment session, many called for safer streets and solutions to homelessness.
“I’m a firm believer that people do not change until the pain of staying the same becomes greater than the fear of changed. And right now as a city I believe we have removed pain but offered no true path towards growth,” one person shared during public comment.
“Voters time and time again show up with the same top two priorities, those being homelessness and public safety,” another said.
Still, several community members questioned the timing of the move.
“We do know, [from] events like Bloomsday, Hoopfest, that the cleanup and engaging of people on our streets can happen on a quick time frame,” a commenter pointed out.
Another added, “I don’t know why downtown couldn’t have been cleaned up before an election year.”
Concerns were also raised about the ordinance’s rapid addition to the council meeting agenda.
“This thing just got added in. It’s not on the website it’s not on the agenda,” said one commenter.
Councilmember Michael Cathcart responded to this concern.
“I know it is very last minute and for my part I apologize,” said Cathcart. “It’s not how I like to see this council operate.
Safe & Accessible Public Spaces ordinance follows Mayor Lisa Brown’s June anti-camping move, which police deemed unenforceable.
“Clearly it was not working, and here we are,” Councilmember Paul Dillon said about the Summer attempt.
The new ordinance was also a response to the Washington Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Proposition One, a voter-approved try at curbing public camping.
As for the new ordinance, every councilmember spoke during council comment about their honor in collaborating on the Safe & Accessible Public Spaces ordinance, and pride in its content.
“We have seven sponsors of this ordinance which means it’s completely united on the dias,” shared Cathcart.
“I’m asking you to try and believe in this policy and to try and believe in the future of this city because I think this has the ability to be a moment where we look back and think ‘We did something good that day’,” Councilmember Jonathan Bingle shared.
