In Woodward's Words

The City is facilitating conversations and listening to all viewpoints to establish expectations and a clear timeline for moving people indoors before winter.

Supported Employment Job Fair on Thursday

The City of Spokane is hosting a job fair to connect job seekers with disabilities to employers. If you are a job seeker with a disability and would like to participate, register now!

Job seekers will participate in interviews with local businesses. Registered businesses include Goodwill, CHAS Health, Fairchild Air Force Base, the City, and more. Click here to learn more.

City Seeks Public Comment on CAPER Report

The City’s Community, Housing and Human Services Department seeks public comment on funding priorities for initiatives aimed at reducing homelessness and increasing affordable housing. The public comment period on the draft Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER), which includes the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), and Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) programs, runs through Friday, Sept. 30. Comments are being accepted at spokanechhs@spokanecity.org or 509-625-6325. Paper copies of the draft plan are available upon request.  

City of Spokane Redistricting Board Seeks Feedback on Four Proposed Maps

The City of Spokane Redistricting Board is seeking input from the public on four proposed maps updating City Council Districts based on 2020 Census data. The online survey ends Sunday, Oct. 2. Visit our website for more info.

City Seeking Proposals for Childcare Program

The City is seeking proposals from qualified organizations who are experienced in granting funds to childcare facilities located within the Spokane city limits to administer federal pandemic relief funding. Submissions are due Wednesday, Oct. 5. Visit our website for more information.

Council Recap

Spokane City Council Member Michael Cathcart recaps the Monday, Sept. 26, City Council meeting.

Avista Utilities Work In the City

On Friday, Sept. 30, 4:30 a.m. – 2 p.m., Spokane Falls Boulevard between Wall and Monroe Street will be closed for Avista to disassemble a crane that has been dredging the Spokane River from Huntington Park.

Avista is working on emergency repairs to transmission structures on the northern edge of the High Drive Bluff, in response to the Tuesday, Aug. 30 brush fire. Crews are excavating and grading to prepare to drill holes for the new steel poles that will be installed the week of Monday, Oct. 10. This work will be disruptive. 

New Special Events Application

The City has unveiled a new fully online special events application to improve the process. A video on how to use the application is available. Applicants are now only prompted for additional information should it be required.

Do You Heat With An Old Wood Stove?

If your wood stove is 20 years old or older, now is a great time to upgrade! Instant discounts of $800-$2,000 are available to pre-qualified Spokane County homeowners when upgrading their old wood stove to a new wood, pellet or gas stove or a ductless heat pump. Visit Spokane Clean Air's website for more info and to apply!

City of Spokane Jobs

The City of Spokane is hiring! The classifications opening for recruitment this week are:

• WTE Environmental Manager
• Accountant
• Custodial Foreperson
• Supported Employment Careers

Thursday, Sept. 29, 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. the City is hosting a Supported Employment Job Fair to connect job seekers with disabilities to employers. Register here.

For a full list of job openings with the City of Spokane click here.

Coronavirus Information

COVID-19 Vaccines

• COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective.
• Everyone 6 months and older are now eligible to get a free COVID-19 vaccination.
• Everyone 5 years and older is eligible for boosters.
• Learn about the different vaccines available.

COVID-19 Testing Sites

Drive-up and walk-up COVID-19 testing sites are open to the community. These testing sites offer free testing and are open to anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or has recently been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

Need Mental Health Help?

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 9-8-8

Contact 24/7: Frontier Crisis Line (877) 266-1818

Contact or Walk-In: Inland Northwest Behavioral Health (509) 992-1888

CHAS Health: (509) 444-8200

Excelsior Wellness Center: (509) 559-3100

Request Online Appointment

Help for children, adults and families is available via telehealth.

Teen Text and Chat Line: 844-814-TEEN (8336)

Free confidential safe place service available to any teen or young adult.

Veterans Crisis Line: (800) 273-8255

Need Resources? 

Call Washington 211 at 2-1-1 or (877) 211-9274 to speak to a local agent

Text your Zip Code to 898211 or email ew211@incontactmail.com

Apply for Basic Food assistance over the phone!

Access to resources online at: wa211.org

Sign up for their Newsletter!

Domestic Violence and

Child Abuse Prevention Resources

Prevention at Home Video Series

Trauma Recovery Services

Lutheran Community Services: (509) 747-8224

Intensive Behavioral Health, Victim Advocacy and Foster Care, are available.

Resident Assistance

The impacts of COVID have created hardships for people in many ways. The City continues to connect residents with available and eligible resources.

Utility Assistance

There are Resident Assistance programs for emergency help to pay for City utility bills, which include charges for water, wastewater, stormwater and garbage collection. Interest-free payment plans are also available for residential and commercial customers.

Rent Assistance

Due to a large volume of applications, emergency rent assistance application portals have paused accepting applications from city residents seeking rental assistance who do not have a current eviction notice.

The City continues to work with the Washington State Department of Commerce to identify potential new sources of emergency rent assistance funds for Spokane City tenants and landlords, but a timeline for re-opening the portals for members of the general public (LiveStories), households with children (Family Promise of Spokane), and members of the African-American and BIPOC community (Carl Maxey Center) is unclear.

City of Spokane residents with a current eviction notice still may receive assistance through the ERAP 2.0 program. In order to determine eligibility and the process for doing so, reach out to one of the City’s two Dispute Resolution Centers that are managing the local Eviction Resolution Pilot Program.

• Last name begins with A-M: Northwest Mediation, 509-456-0103, ext. 1
• Last name begins with N-Z: Fulcrum Dispute Resolution Clinic, 509-838-2799
• Volunteer Lawyers Program, 509-477-2674

Overall, the two-year emergency rent assistance program has distributed about $33 million to more than 6,000 households. 

Spokane Rewards. Spokane Solves. Spokane Gives

The City of Spokane is a great place to combine community support with expertise. There are over 30 Boards, Commissions and Committees made up of volunteers who help shape our community. If you have one day a year, or one day a week, there is an opportunity for you. Pick your passion and get involved!

Spokane Public Library Board of Trustees

The Spokane Public Library Board of Trustees seeks candidates to fill a vacancy on the board. The Board of Trustees is the governing and policy-making board for the Spokane Public Library. Board positions are voluntary, and residents chosen to fill them are selected to serve 5-year terms. Candidates must be available to meet monthly on the third Tuesday of each month at 4:30 p.m., as well as other infrequent committee meetings as needed.

To apply for a position on the Library Board of Trustees, fill out the application and submit to the Mayor's office by emailing mayor@spokanecity.org. You may also mail a completed application or deliver in person to the MySpokane Customer Service counter at City Hall.

Autumn Adventures: WSECU Fall Fest 

WSECU Fall Fest is this weekend! Activities will spread across Spokane Riverfront Park, Wall Street, and River Park Square, with entertainment and activities including a fall photo station, magic shows, live music and theatre, carriage rides, a petting zoo, kids’ carnival, and pumpkin patch. Click here to learn about this free event!

On the Bright Side

Thank you to everyone who made it down for the Touch-a-Truck event at Spokane Community College! We hope you had as much fun as we did. We can't wait for the next one!