A Call to Action: Oppose HB 1217 to Effectively Address Spokane’s Housing Crisis
As citizens and leaders deeply invested in Spokane’s future, it is crucial to address the pressing issue of housing affordability. House Bill 1217 (HB 1217), currently progressing to the State Senate floor, proposes a variety of rental restrictions with the intention of enhancing housing stability.
While well-intentioned, in the long run this bill will exacerbate Spokane’s already severe housing crisis and contribute to the very conditions that have led to some of the highest homelessness rates in the nation.
Spokane’s Housing Shortage: The Root of our Homelessness Crisis
✅ Over the past decade, Spokane has underbuilt by approximately 32,000 housing units, failing to keep pace with demand. (Source: Spokane Realtors)
✅ To address ongoing demand, Spokane needs about 2,900 new housing units per year, yet only about 1,500 are currently being built, further deepening the housing deficit. (Source: Spokane Exchange)
Why HB 1217 Will Make the Problem Worse
While the intent of HB 1217 is to protect tenants from steep rent hikes and other potential problems, imposing such controls will likely worsen Spokane’s housing and homelessness crisis by making it even harder to build the housing we desperately need:
- Discourages New Housing Development
Spokane is already failing to meet annual housing demand. Capping rents will make new construction less economically feasible, leading to even fewer housing units being built and perpetuating the supply shortage that has driven rents up in the first place.
- Keeps Rents Disproportionately High
Spokane’s high rents are a direct result of too few housing units. The only way to lower rents sustainably is to increase supply, not restrict pricing.
- Increases Homelessness Risk
The lack of housing supply is a direct cause of Spokane’s homelessness crisis (Source: Homelessness is a Housing Problem – Gregg Colburn and Clayton Page Aldern). HB 1217 does nothing to increase the number of available units, meaning Spokane will continue to see rents rise and homelessness increase, due to the continued lack of housing units.
The Real Solution: Build More Housing
The way to solve Spokane’s housing crisis is to do the exact opposite of what created the problem in the first place: build more housing units.Instead of rent control, we should focus on:
✅ Incentivizing New Housing Development to meet demand and lower costs naturally.
✅Streamlining Permitting, regulations, and Zoning Processes to make it easier to build.
✅Encouraging Public-Private Partnerships to increase the supply of affordable housing.
✅Strengthening Tenant Protections through policies that ensure fair notice periods for rent increases and better access to legal resources, rather than restricting rent itself.
Take Action NOW: Oppose HB 1217
Please click the link below now to add your name to the list of individuals opposing this legislation.
By advocating for real solutions that increase housing supply, we can create a Spokane where everyone has access to safe, affordable, and sustainable housing.
JOIN OUR TEAM OF VOLUNTEERS TODAY!
The Spokane Business Association, in collaboration with Dr. Robert Marbut, invites you to participate in an important effort to better understand and address homelessness in our community.
We are seeking volunteers to assist in conducting a short, one-page survey that builds on our region’s annual HUD Point-in-Time Count, providing additional insights into Spokane’s homeless population. This effort will help guide our initiatives toward solutions for homelessness, health, and safety in our city.
Volunteers will help conduct the surveys at various shelters and street locations from Friday, March 21, through Sunday, March 23. Surveys will generally be conducted just before meal times and should take about an hour to complete.
This is more than just important data collection—it’s an opportunity toengage with the realities of homelessness in Spokane. If we don’t know where we are, it’s difficult to plan where we need to go. Your participation will help inform policies and solutions to address this crisis.
Available Dates and Times:
FRIDAY
1- Volunteer training (**required for all volunteers – see below)
2- Dinner surveys
3- After Dinner Street surveys
SATURDAY
1- Breakfast surveys
2- Lunch surveys
3- Dinner surveys
4- After Dinner Street surveys
SUNDAY
1- Breakfast surveys
2- Lunch surveys
**Required Volunteer Training
When: Friday at 4:30 PM
Where: Union Gospel Men’s Shelter
1224 E Trent Ave (West Parking lot)
Training Duration: Approximately 20 minutes
If you’re interested in volunteering, click below and indicate your preferred dates and times.
