Downtown Hospitality Zone
Public Safety
Downtown Hospitality Zone
Advocating for Downtown: Why the DSP Is Calling for a Dedicated Zone
City Council to Vote June 30
Email your support for a downtown zone
-> Email CityCouncil2@spokanecity.org
Letter of support Mayor Brown Response
Sign on in support Email to Council Template Testify
At the Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP), we believe that thoughtful, inclusive policy is the foundation of a thriving urban core. That’s why we’ve been deeply engaged in the ongoing conversations around public space management and community well-being in downtown Spokane.
In the fall of 2024, DSP representatives attended every roundtable event hosted by the mayor’s office and City Council members. These sessions were critical opportunities to provide feedback on key issues affecting our downtown, including:
- Sit-lie ordinances
- Camping regulations
- Pedestrian interference laws
- The broader impact of these policies on public space management
We appreciated the chance to contribute to these discussions and advocate for balanced, compassionate approaches that support both public safety and community vitality.
The DSP is concerned that the resulting H.O.M.E. ordinance package does not reflect the feedback shared during the earlier discussions. Specifically, priorities of downtown employers, businesses, their employees and customers, residents and visitors that need downtown to always be accessible.
Since their introduction in May, we’ve taken proactive steps by:
- Reaching out to city officials for clarity
- Testifying at City Council meetings
- Convening a community meeting with downtown residents, business owners, and property stakeholders to discuss the ordinances and raise concerns
As the ordinances move toward a final vote on Monday, June 16, we are urging City Council to consider establishing a dedicated Downtown Zone — stretching from Boone to the north, 4th Avenue to the south, Maple to the west, and Division to the east, where the entirety of public sidewalks, plazas, parks and underpasses must always remain clear, navigable and protected for pedestrians.
The downtown zone should establish the expectation that the entirety of public spaces are free from obstruction at all times of the day without requirements to delay enforcement or unrelated shelter space guidelines. Not just management policies, the downtown zone should include resources to expand outreach and engagement as well as increase foot patrols and enforcement by Spokane Police.
This zone recognizes the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities of our city’s core — and ensure that future policies are tailored to support its success.
Downtown Spokane is more than just a geographic area. It’s a hub of culture, commerce, and community. Let’s make sure it has a voice in the decisions that shape its future.