City Council’s Housing Ban Defies Mayor’s ‘All of the Above’ Housing Proclamation

In her 2024 State of the City address, Mayor Lisa Brown stated, “We just simply have to build more housing supply at all levels. This is the number one challenge facing our future quality of life in our community.” As local experts in home building and land use policy, the Spokane Home Builders Association and its members could not agree more. That’s why it is disappointing to see the Spokane City Council pass a housing ban as their first major housing-related vote after the Mayor’s public declaration.

 

In order to pass this ordinance, the proposers claim that an emergency exists due to the risk of fires. However, no analysis was provided to show why this is unique to the Latah Valley area and not other portions of the City like Indian Trail or West Central or why the current Comprehensive Plan update process is insufficient to address these concerns.

 

There also exists great concern over the potentially long-term nature of such measures, as some proponents requested. It is unclear what infrastructure would be advanced by passing the proposed housing ban. When asked about the benchmarks that would need to be met in order to satisfy the ban, the council had no clear answer. 

 

We don’t need endless rounds of studies and talk with no commitment to action. That is why housing experts support a proposed TIF (Tax Incremental Financing) district in the region. By leveraging the future taxable value of the land, the city can pay for necessary infrastructure without raising taxes on existing residents. This plan addresses the housing crisis while solving neighborhood concerns.

 

Already only 15% of Spokane residents can afford to purchase a home. With an estimated 30% of a home’s cost coming from fees and regulation and an existing artificial limit on the availability of buildable land, government intervention is a key driver of rising costs. The last thing we need is to make that problem worse or export the City’s housing problem to neighboring areas or across state lines.

 

We know that housing is a ladder. Every home built affects affordability all along the housing continuum. That’s why housing at all levels is important, because it relieves pressure at all levels, including the rental market. From a dwelling for a family to entry level homes to low income housing to apartment rentals, its all connected. That’s why a blanket policy like this is so harmful.

 

With Spokane County already at least 35,000 units under built, taking additional land offline will only hurt Spokane residents more by eliminating their potential to build generational wealth for them and their family. 

 

We sincerely hope that the Spokane City Council work quickly to rescind its housing ban and come up with real solutions to our infrastructure needs instead of continuing to kick the can down the road.

 

Isaiah Paine

Strategy and Public Affairs Officer

Spokane Home Builders Association

ipaine@shba.com