SPOKANE, Wash. – The homelessness crisis in Spokane continues to be a pressing issue as the colder months set in. According to Spokane County’s annual point-in-time count, over 2,000 people are currently without homes in the area.
City officials and local shelters are trying to understand where these individuals are coming from and why they are homeless. Dianna, who stays at the Union Gospel Mission’s Women’s Shelter, shared her story. Originally from Texas, she says she ended up in Spokane after St. Joseph’s Hospital in Lewiston, Idaho, assisted her with a bus ticket.
“They paid for my bus ticket… It was like $50 and it was like 2 hours to get from Lewiston to Spokane,” she said.
St. Joseph’s Hospital did not confirm Dianna’s account but mentioned that they sometimes assist individuals with public transportation when requested.
“We’ve created a model that rewards the bad behavior,” said Phil Altmeyer, CEO of Union Gospel Mission.
Altmeyer noted that over the past year, they housed more than 2,300 people across three shelters in Spokane County, with 58% of them having last lived outside the county before becoming homeless.
“Most people from around the country don’t even know Spokane exists to be 100% honest… If they do, they know Gonzaga… That’s about it,” Cameron Deuel, a Spokane County shelter resident.
Altmeyer believes that many homeless people in downtown Spokane are from outside the county, drawn by the available resources.
“So to think that people don’t begin to talk and [come] here because other cities are clamping down and saying we’re not going to let you sit and lie and do drugs right out in public… So where you going to go if that’s your lifestyle?” he said.
However, the City of Spokane’s data contradicts Altmeyer’s view. They report that about 73% of homeless people in Spokane County became homeless while living there, with only 27% having lived elsewhere. Of those from outside Spokane County, around 34% came from other parts of Washington state.
The question of where Spokane’s homeless population originates remains complex. While local shelters suggest many residents come from outside the county, city data indicates most are local.
Dianna, despite her challenges, expressed gratitude for the support she receives.
“It’s been a long journey… and I love my UGM and I love my Tracy… and Kerry, and Tina,” she said.
