SPOKANE, Wash. – A new billboard downtown questions Mayor Lisa Brown’s approach to Spokane’s homeless crisis, sparking a response from the city’s leader.
The billboard, positioned near Second Avenue and Division Street, accuses Mayor Brown of not being transparent or effectively advancing the homeless strategies of her predecessor according to our partners at the Spokesman-Review.
HT Higgins, who funded the billboard and was a donor to Brown’s mayoral campaign, emphasized concerns about transparency. Higgins stated that he believes the city hasn’t disclosed its plans for providing shelter this winter. He also mentioned that he has been unable to secure a meeting with Mayor Brown.
Mayor Brown addressed Higgins’ actions in a statement to The Spokesman-Review. “He’s clearly quite agitated and billboards are one way to express that,” she said. “Sometimes I would maybe ask folks if they would like to put the funds into their favorite providers, budgets instead of ads and billboards.”
This situation highlights ongoing tensions around the city’s handling of the homeless crisis as winter approaches. Community members continue to look for clarity and solutions from city officials.
