SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokane is taking a significant step to address homelessness by transforming the Cannon Street Shelter into a navigation center. This initiative is set to temporarily house people and connect them with essential services.
The new center is nearing its capacity of 30 occupants. City officials and partners are optimistic that this initiative will provide effective solutions for individuals seeking housing.
A resident of the center, Christopher Benjamin, is a veteran who has been homeless for close to three months. The farm he worked on was sold, leaving him without a home. “When nobody cares about you, life gets really difficult,” Benjamin said. He added that the anxiety of not knowing where his next meal will come from is overwhelming.
Benjamin has been at the shelter for two weeks. “If I need something, I get it, all I need to do is open my mouth,” he stated, sharing his appreciation for the support and healthcare options available at the center.
Erin Hut from the city emphasized the importance of the shelter’s comprehensive approach. “This is where we can stabilize people, who are in crisis who are experiencing homelessness and really connect them to the resources and the treatment that they need,” Hut explained.
The shelter was initially a pilot project funded by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Transportation. “Again another outside resource that we were trying to take advantage of,” Hut stated.
Hut acknowledged that previous models featuring large shelters were not effective. “What we have been doing hasn’t been effective,” Hut said. The city is now using a scatter model with smaller shelters throughout the area.
Looking ahead, the city will begin issuing contracts next month and will address their inclement weather plan on Monday. Hut noted an important change in approach: “Housing and health care should be the same thing.”
Layne Pavey, Executive Director of Revive Counseling Spokane, expressed excitement about the center becoming a hub for resources. “This can be a place where people can come or can call, and we can help navigate them to those other places as well,” Pavey said.
Benjamin emphasized the center’s impact: “That’s what this place gives me, is a hand up not a hand out.”
City Council Member Michael Cathcart mentioned he was not informed about the permanent status of the Cannon Shelter until a press release was issued. He will be seeking assurance that public camping will not be allowed.
Regarding funding, Dawn Kinder from the city’s Neighborhood, Housing, and Human Services Division confirmed that no local taxpayer dollars are funding this permanent center. The project is entirely grant-funded.
You can learn more about the Spokane Navigation Center, by clicking here.
