Spokane adds scattered shelter beds in partnership with Family Promise
- ggriffith0
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
Jan 28, 2025 Updated Mar 3, 2025
SPOKANE, Wash. - Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown announced Tuesday that Family Promise will receive funding for 15 additional beds to invest in the city's growing scattered-site shelter model.
The scattered site shelters have been part of the city's vision since Mayor Brown took office. She praises the model for a lower impact to the nearby areas, managing people in need on a case-by-case basis, and decentralizing homelessness out of a singular area.
"Emergency shelter is critical, but we know we need more," Mayor Brown said. "It's not a one-size-fits-all."
Brown's Administration estimates nonprofits and religious organizations provide roughly 950 shelter beds at any given time. The scattered site system has added an additional 155 total, according to Mayor Brown.
Family Promise, focused on helping families with young children stay out of homelessness, has used a similar model for five years. They have homes in Chief Garry and the U-District housing multiple families under one roof on an interim basis while a more permanent housing solution becomes available.
On average, families are in these temporary 'shelters' for a month, according to Family Promise CEO Joe Ader. None of the homes have received complaints from neighbors.
"That's what we want. Look at this model. See how it could work in different communities," Ader said. "It's about outcomes. How many people are we getting into housing versus how many are entering homelessness?"
The timing of these new shelter beds is needed, according to Ader. A series of executive orders signed by President Donald Trump call several federal grants into question including housing vouchers for refugees, according to Aber.
"A freeze on that support for refugee families that are already here," Aber said. "It doesn't lessen homelessness, it increases it."
The scattered model has already shown success at Family Promise. The organization moved 805 people out of homelessness in 2024; 449 of those were children.
Mayor Brown also confirmed the Compassionate Addiction Treatment (CAT) facility is permanently moved off Second Avenue and Division. The new site is at East Third Avenue and South Arthur.
"This is about coordination and partnership. The city is not funded to do this alone," Mayor Brown said.
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