Monday, September 9, Council Member Jonathan Bingle, who represents downtown in District 1 on City Council, hosted more than a hundred small businesses, employers and residents alongside local chef Chad White, who recently announced the closure of his downtown restaurant following repeated theft and damage, to issue a plea for Spokane’s leaders to urgently implement a crime prevention plan for downtown.
“Spokane needs a strong downtown with thriving businesses to employ our neighbors, host our celebrations, and build connections that bring our community together,” said Alyssa Agee, owner of People’s Waffle. “As small business owners, we’re unprepared to handle the issues of addiction and behavioral health problems that land on our doorstep daily.”
Downtowns are the social, economic and cultural heart of any community, and when a downtown thrives, the rest of the city benefits from a healthy economic climate that ensures Spokane has robust services and amenities for all its citizens.
“Great downtowns define great cities, and everyone has a fundamental right to feel and be safe in Spokane,” said Emilie Cameron, President & CEO of the Downtown Spokane Partnership. “When businesses are willing to come forward to share concerns, this sends a signal that we need a significant shift in safety and the way people feel about downtown. We need solutions that intentionally and immediately prioritize the vitality of downtown.”
Failing to address the immediate need for everyone to be safe and thrive undermines the long-term efforts to stabilize and help those most in need in Spokane. In cities around the country, business owners are leaving downtowns, impacting the economic health of those communities. Without successful downtown businesses generating revenues, residents will pay higher taxes to fund city services and social response programs.
“Something needs to change in our city, we must get a grasp on what is happening downtown before it is too late,” said Lydia Cowles, owner of Twenty-Seventh Heaven Bakery. “Locally owned businesses like mine are critical to the fabric of downtown and my customers, visitors, and employees deserve to feel safe when they come here.”
Criminal activity, especially the use public dealing and use of illegal drugs, has a daily impact on everyone in Spokane, including its most vulnerable populations. The Downtown Spokane Partnership (DSP), a nonprofit organization representing small businesses and employers downtown, spends sizable resources on private security and cleaning services to supplement the absence of public safety and health responses to mitigate crime, graffiti, litter and biohazards. The DSP uses this expertise to work collaboratively with private businesses, public sector partners and nonprofit organizations to elevate the issues and policies critical to the economic health of the region’s urban core.
“I love exploring downtown’s local retailers and our amazing restaurants,” said downtown resident Andrea Williams, “However, it is becoming more and more challenging to experience and enjoy downtown when I’m confronted with the open drug use and vandalism that is hindering local businesses. Now is the time for all of us to come together so that my neighborhood can feel like a neighborhood again.”
Continued Cameron, “The DSP is committed to collaborating with local leaders to build strategies that can immediately address threats to public safety and health to ensure our downtown thrives again. We’re actively convening partners and elected leaders and are optimistic that we can restore the heart of this city for everyone to be able to work, live and play safely.”
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About the Downtown Spokane Partnership: The DSP is a private, non-profit membership organization that serves as Spokane’s central city advocate and service provider of the Downtown Spokane Parking and Business Improvement District, dedicated to enhancing the quality and vitality of Downtown Spokane as the basis for a healthy region. The DSP accomplishes its mission through advocating for public policies, business and project development, quality planning, physical improvement projects, public safety, beautification, and marketing programs that ensure downtown’s continued success. To learn more, visit www.downtowspokane.org.