by Karen Dorn Steele, SJCC member
Community leaders and housing activists brought concrete ideas to our church last Sunday on how to alleviate Spokane’s homelessness crisis.
The panel discussion, organized by the UUCS Social Justice Coordinating Council, came at a pivotal moment in the crisis, with local elected officials about to sign off on a 90-day effort this spring to create a new umbrella organization to coordinate services.
Participants included Ben Stuckart, Spokane’s former City Council president; Gavin Cooley, who served for 18 years as the city’s chief financial officer; and three women with deep knowledge of homelessness who’ve worked or volunteered for Transitions and other non-profits: Ami Manning, Kebby Ali, and Megan Curran.
Stuckart and Cooley praised Houston, Texas, the nation’s fourth-largest metro area, which created a coordinated approach over the past decade, including the construction of 8,000 housing units, that has reduced homelessness by 60%.
Meanwhile, Spokane’s homeless population has swelled by 60%, and there has been no coordinated plan.
Moderator Susan Tyler-Babkirk asked the panelists about their “magic wand” wishes for the most important changes they’d propose. Their priorities included the following:
- Building more low-income housing in neighborhoods across Spokane and Spokane County.
- Addressing rising rents, a major cause of homelessness.
- Creating a community center where the homeless could do laundry, shower, and store their belongings.
- Increasing public transportation access throughout the county.
Cooley urged faith-based communities, including UUCS, to continue these conversations during the next three months while local officials attempt to come to a consensus.
Take me to a video of the panel discussion on YouTube.