Spokane City Council stalls fifth measure related to homelessness since mid-July

(The Center Square) – Spokane’s elected officials tabled another homelessness ordinance on Monday, which would have expanded the city’s “Sit & Lie” prohibitions, making it at least the fifth since mid-July.

The version currently on the books prohibits sitting and laying down on public sidewalks, in front of the entrance or exit to a building or parking lot, as well as on any object, such as a trash can, drinking fountain or others, “not designed primarily for the purpose of sitting.”

These restrictions only apply within the downtown area from 6 a.m. to midnight; Spokane City Councilmember Jonathan Bingle’s ordinance would’ve expanded enforcement citywide while removing the time aspect. Another modification also eliminates an exception to enforcement when shelter space is unavailable.

“If it’s good for one area,” Bingle told the rest of the council, “I think it should be good for the entire city.”

Councilmember Zack Zappone immediately attempted to defer the ordinance, noting that the council would discuss it with residents during the ongoing roundtable discussions, the first of which was last week.

Many community members thought the roundtables were to discuss ordinances related to homelessness that the council deferred over the past few weeks. However, neither Zappone nor Council President Betsy Wilkerson, who hosted the roundtable, mentioned the deferred measures during last week’s discussion.

Then, during Monday’s meeting, Zappone noted that they probably wouldn’t even have time to discuss Bingle’s ordinance during the next roundtable on Oct. 1. He suggested deferring it until sometime in November.

Wilkerson questioned how the Spokane Police Department could ramp up enforcement as it struggles with the current call volume . She said the residents expect 100% enforcement, which isn’t currently happening, so it’d be disingenuous to promise that.

Bingle raised an issue with Wilkerson’s point about deferring due to lack of capacity to enforce. He said if that’s the reason for not supporting this ordinance, it should stand as the precedent for repealing other laws that SPD struggles to enforce, which Bingle thinks is a terrible idea.

“Just because we can’t enforce them based on call volume and things like that doesn’t mean the laws are bad or that we should repeal them,” Bingle said. “If it’s based on enforcement and our ability to enforce them, then I would ask this council to go ahead and defer it, but bring together a list, and it will be a long list, of laws that we should repeal because we can’t enforce them.”

The majority of the council ultimately voted to refer Bingle’s ordinance back to the Public Safety and Community Health Committee, which will meet next on Oct. 7. This is the fifth time the council has postponed a measure, either by referring it back to committee, or deferring it indefinitely, since mid-July.

“I look forward to the list coming forward with this deferral,” Bingle told his peers after the vote.