SPOKANE, WA – Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown signaled support on Thursday for a state proposal to limit the ability to enforce local camping bans, but raised concerns about how it could impact Spokane.
Brown attended the Spokane Homeless Coalition’s monthly meeting on Thursday to provide an update on the city’s programs. It came days after state lawmakers advanced House Bill 2489, setting it up for a potential floor vote later this session, after years of Democrats proposing other iterations of the bill.
HB 2489 would prohibit the enforcement of camping bans unless local taxpayers can afford to provide “adequate” shelter to everyone in that jurisdiction. The bill requires cities to provide free shelter while accommodating all pets, partners, “other support persons,” all of an individual’s belongings, and more…