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OUR ISSUES

What We're Fighting For

Issues at the center of Spokane's future - and of every business's ability to thrive here.

Enforce Public Laws

Consistent enforcement of the laws against public camping, open drug use and blocking sidewalks, paired every time with a genuine offer of help.

 

Pair Compassion with Accountability

Pair enforcement with immediate access to treatment. Compassion and enforcement together. That is how other cities are saving lives and saving their downtowns.

 

Build Regional Homelessness Response

One consistent policy on homelessness, addiction and mental health across the city, county and providers, with clear outcomes, firm dates and public reporting. A whole system: detox, sobering, crisis and treatment beds, and housing.

 

An Integrated Criminal Justice System

Build and fund a regional system that treats crime, addiction and mental illness together: a modern corrections facility, community court and therapeutic courts, detox, sobering and crisis beds, and required treatment.

 

Clean and Safe Downtown

Address garbage, graffiti, theft and vandalism, and enforce property and nuisance codes consistently, so it is safe to park, walk and do business in the City of Spokane.

 

Revitalize Downtown

Reduce downtown's approximate 35% vacancy rate. Redesign gateway corridors to invite residents and visitors into the community. Adopt policies and regulations that incentivize redevelopment and turning empty buildings into housing.

 

Competitive Business Climate

Spokane cannot tax, regulate and restrict its way into prosperity. Every decision at City Hall must pass one test: it makes Spokane a more attractive place to live, raise a family and build a business.

 

Housing Supply

Predictable permitting, guaranteed timelines and zoning that lets Spokane build. We oppose rent control and unfunded mandates that raise rents and push construction across the state line.

 

Fiscal Accountability

Follow the City's adopted budget principles: one-time money for one-time costs only, ongoing costs covered by ongoing revenues, and no debt for operations. Maintain prudent reserves and fund balances. Hold the City's credit ratings at no less than AA from S&P and Aa2 from Moody's.

 

Advocate Citywide

Advocate for businesses and neighborhoods throughout the entire City of Spokane, not just downtown.

 

Celebrate and Support

Diversity throughout the City of Spokane.

What Happens in Olympia Matters

For business leaders and community advocates especially, staying up to date means having a voice before decisions are finalized. Legislative proposals can move quickly, and once they become law, their impact can last for years. Tracking the process allows individuals and organizations to engage early—sharing insights, raising concerns, and helping shape policy in ways that support economic stability and community well-being.

Contact Your Officials. Make Your Voice Heard.

WASHINGTON STATE ELECTED OFFICIALS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MEMBERS OF THE SENATE

WE ASKED

Where would you spend Spokane's next dollar?

If Spokane had one additional dollar to invest in the community, where should it go first?

Screenshot 2026-08-03 185615

Survey respondents sent a clear message about Spokane’s priorities: public safety should come first. Sixty percent said they would invest the community’s next dollar in public safety, far outpacing streets and infrastructure, public transportation, and parks, libraries, and community services. The results reflect a strong belief that safety is the foundation of a healthy community, supporting thriving businesses, welcoming neighborhoods, accessible public spaces, and confidence in Spokane’s future.

Spokane Is About to Make Housing Even Harder -

and Hand Idaho Another Win

Spokane should be removing barriers to housing, not adding new ones

A new Spokane City Hall proposal would require rental housing in Spokane to add cooling equipment to keep bedrooms at or below 80 degrees.

This proposed regulation is clearly well intentioned. But the old saying about getting something for nothing applies here: when the City Council makes it more expensive to build housing, the obvious result is higher rents and less new housing construction in Spokane. And that means fewer affordable homes for working families, seniors, and young people trying to get established.

This is exactly the wrong direction for Spokane. Post Falls, Coeur d’Alene, and the rest of Kootenai County have been building housing at nearly twice the rate of Spokane County over the last decade, and this proposed regulation will push even more families across the border into Idaho.

Just as important, Spokane appears to be moving beyond what many peer cities have adopted. Cities such as Boise, Seattle, and San José appear to have focused more on general tenant protections rather than the rigid mandate Spokane is considering.

Also consider that unlike much hotter areas like Phoenix and Las Vegas, Spokane has cool nights, and for generations, people here have cooled homes and apartments by opening windows at night and closing them during the day. So, the real question is whether this mandate makes sense here in Spokane, at this cost and at this moment?

Worse still, this proposal risks hurting the very people it claims to help. Tenants will help pay for these new costs whether they use the cooling or not - and many of those same households will struggle to afford the electric bill anyway!

This proposal should be stopped before it pushes even more Spokane jobs and residents into Idaho.

MAKING SPOKANE A CLEAN & SAFE PLACE TO DO BUSINESS

Spokane's Legislative Blueprint

In the spring of 2025, SBA worked with business and community leaders to develop a Proposed City Charter Amendment.  This Amendment was designed after the 2023 Prop 1 passed by 75% of Spokane voters.  The goal was to allow voters to pass a law that would require the Mayor and other city leadership to enforce the law and make our streets clean and safe so businesses can thrive.

After months of work and consulting with many lawyers, SBA was advised that the current Washington State Supreme Count would likely strike down this Proposed City Charter Amendment.

So in the months leading up to the fall 2025 election, SBA decided to retool the Proposed City Charter Amendment into a Blueprint for Legislation.  This proposed legislation would be given to the Spokane City Council and the Mayor.  SBA held a Press Conference to publicly unveil this new Legislative Blueprint and invited the 6 City Council candidates to attend the event and voice their view of this proposed legislation and the future of Spokane.

On October 27, 2025, the Spokane City Council unanimously passed the Safe and Accessible Spaces Ordinance, legislation that incorporated more than 90% of SBA’s Blueprint for Legislation. It was encouraging to see leaders from across the political spectrum come together around a shared goal: doing what is best for Spokane. The ordinance gave the City meaningful tools to address some of the challenges affecting our public spaces, businesses, neighborhoods, and quality of life. But passing legislation is only the beginning.

Spokane now has the tools. The next step is ensuring our leadership has the resolve, consistency, and accountability to use them effectively. Good policy only produces better outcomes when it is put into practice.

The opportunity is in front of us. Now Spokane must turn those tools into results.

THE VOICE OF BUSINESS FOR THE CITY OF SPOKANE

Restore Spokane

SBA’s initiatives turn advocacy into action. By identifying challenges, developing practical solutions, and bringing business and community leaders together, we work to create meaningful progress for Spokane.

Each initiative gives our members a united voice, keeps important issues before decision-makers, and demonstrates how their investment supports a stronger business climate and a more vibrant community.

We do not simply respond to Spokane’s challenges. We help shape what comes next.