Dear Spokane Community,
SBA – Enough Politics – Time to Work Together and Solve This
Too Strident?
I’ve had several conversations recently with people who are concerned that I’m being too hard on Mayor Lisa Brown regarding her handling of Spokane’s homelessness, health, and safety crisis. Some feel my critiques have been too strident, while others question whether my approach is fair.
Another person suggested that my 5 AM walks are needlessly about educating the Mayor—about showing her what’s really happening on our streets.
But Let’s Be Clear: Mayor Brown Already Knows
Anyone who drives through downtown Spokane knows. The problem isn’t awareness—it’s action. The entire purpose of these walks is to push the mayor to respond with the urgency and collaboration this crisis demands, the same way a city would react to a natural disaster or another public emergency.
Enforcing the Law – A Good First Step
Another person told me yesterday, “It’s simple—just enforce the laws.” And that actually makes sense. If Mayor Brown declared tomorrow that Spokane would adopt a zero-tolerance policy for people sleeping on sidewalks, openly using fentanyl, or smoking methamphetamine—as they have in other cities—it wouldn’t just be about policing. It would mean all parts of the system—shelters, treatment programs, healthcare, law enforcement, and more—would immediately have to work together to address the sudden influx of people who can no longer do these activities on the street.
And let’s be real: this is not an impossible challenge. A recent count of unhoused individuals downtown came in at around 80. In warmer months, it’s closer to 200. Can anyone seriously argue that Spokane doesn’t have the capacity to meaningfully and humanely address that number? It’s absurd that our downtown and broader community feel held hostage by a crisis we absolutely have the ability to solve.
This Is a Preventable Crisis
Some people question the urgency I’m demanding, and that infuriates me. Many of us personally know or are related to people who have battled addiction and gone on to lead wonderful lives in recovery. But right now, nearly one person a day is dying in Spokane from this crisis. That should be unacceptable to everyone.
Consider the numbers:
- In 2023, 327 people died in Spokane County from drug overdoses.
- In far larger Harris County, Texas (home to Houston), that number was only 93.
The difference? Policy and urgency.
This is why I remain strident in my criticism of the mayor’s workaday, non-collaborative approach to this crisis. She keeps pointing to her successes (and there are some!), but when we walk downtown each morning, we don’t see that success. We see people living and dying on the streets.
Measure by Results, Not Politics and Rhetoric
Our mayor needs to stop talking about her wins and start measuring by outcomes. We need real action, and we need it now. This is not about politics. This is about collaborating and getting results—
- Helping people on the streets get the assistance they need and deserve.
- Reclaiming our downtown and neighborhoods.
- Rejecting the idea that we just have to “live with” this crisis.
We must not normalize or become numb to these failures. Just a decade ago, this wasn’t the reality in Spokane. It doesn’t have to be now, either.
