Spokane Valley Home with the Company Task Force Meeting – July 28, 2026

Note: The meeting transcript indicates the date as Thursday, July 23, 2026, but the user-provided timestamp is July 28, 2026. This summary uses the user-provided date (July 28) while noting the discrepancy.

The Spokane Valley Home with the Company Task Force convened on July 28, 2026, at 2:00 PM (per the user’s timestamp) to discuss meeting frequency, receive a presentation on the regional point-in-time homeless count, and hear updates on HUD funding. The meeting included roll call, public comment, approval of previous minutes, a vote to move to quarterly meetings, and a detailed data presentation by Amanda Martinez from the City of Spokane’s HMIS team.

Consent Calendar

• Approval of April 2026 Meeting Minutes: The task force unanimously approved the minutes from the April 2026 meeting. A motion was made, seconded, and passed without objection.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Jennifer Wilcox (Spokane Valley resident, veteran, community advocate) requested that meeting minutes standardize the listing of task force members with their positional titles (e.g., “George Dahl, Spokane County Housing and Community Development Administrator and Spokane Regional Continuum of Care Board member”). She also asked for brief task force updates at each meeting, clearer contact information for community members (suggesting the chair’s email be published), and expressed support for increased transparency.
• Lisa Miller (task force member, speaking during the public comment period) advocated for more emphasis on understanding macroeconomic forces affecting homelessness and housing, and suggested the task force proactively request specific data from regional sources rather than waiting for events. She also noted that a new member solicitation was underway.
• George Dahl (task force member) responded to Lisa Miller, noting that the presentation by Amanda Martinez would cover regional data, and offered to track down specific data requests.
• Alicia Curly (task force member) commented on the relationship between vacancy rates, homeownership, and rental markets, linking them to homelessness trends. She referenced a book by UW professors that found vacancy rates were the strongest statistical predictor of homelessness.

Discussion Items

• Proposal to Move to Quarterly Meetings: Eric Robison (city staff) proposed changing the task force meeting frequency to quarterly (this meeting, October 2026, January 2027, April 2027) due to a low workload, with the option to call special meetings as needed. After discussion, including a suggestion to schedule two-hour meetings quarterly, the motion passed unanimously.
• Presentation on Point-in-Time Count and HUD Funding: Amanda Martinez (City of Spokane, HMIS lead) presented the 2026 point-in-time count data, conducted countywide on January 27, 2026. Key statistics:
  • Total individuals counted: 1,738 (1,521 in families).
  • Sheltered: 1,095 (855 in emergency shelter, 240 in transitional housing); unsheltered: 643 (including 121 in vehicles/RVs).
  • Demographic breakdown: majority white, male, aged 25–54; BIPOC populations overrepresented compared to census data.
  • 640 reported serious mental illness, 404 reported substance use disorder, 139 survivors of domestic violence.
  • Historical trend: 4% decrease from 2025, with the peak in 2023.
  • 90% of respondents reported being from Spokane County before homelessness; 10% from Washington outside the county, 13% from outside Washington (mostly northern Idaho).
  • Two additional questions: document readiness (majority lacked both ID and Social Security card) and origin (consistent with prior years).
  • Beds unused: nearly 200 emergency shelter beds vacant on the night of the count, attributed to a mild winter.
• HUD Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO): Martinez reported that 38 applications were submitted, requesting $12.5 million, with only $9 million available (from $6.8 million renewal and $2.2 million bonus). The Continuum of Care board will vote on funding on August 5, 2026. Notably, many transitional housing projects applied, a shift from previous years.

Key Outcomes

• Vote to Move to Quarterly Meetings: The task force voted to adopt a quarterly meeting schedule beginning immediately, with the next meeting in October 2026. Special meetings can be called as needed.
• Data Presentation: The task force received the 2026 point-in-time count data and HUD funding update. Members expressed interest in accessing the quarterly economic data from Eastern Washington University and the HMIS data dashboards.
• Announcement: The grand opening of the Orchard Vista affordable housing project (across from City Hall) is scheduled for August 26, 2026, 11:00 AM–12:00 PM. Task force members were invited.
• Next Steps: The task force will continue to monitor regional data and may consider additional topics for future meetings. The mayor is reviewing one application for the vacant task force position.