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Did you know that Spokane has experienced population booms in the past? Each time we experienced a boom the city had to find a way to quickly house many new residents.
Spokane grew from a small settlement of 350 people in 1880 to more than 30,000 by 1900. Within 10 years, the City had grown to more than 100,000 residents. Single room occupancy (SROs) and boarding houses were used to house this influx of residents downtown.
In the 40s and 50s, as the population grew thanks to wartime manufacturing, many single-family homes were converted into multi-family residences to quickly accommodate the need for workforce housing. Another 39,000 people moved to Spokane in just those two decades.
Spokane is experiencing its third wave of population growth. In 1980, the population was 171,300. By 2020, more than 57,000 people had moved to Spokane and jumped the population to 228,989. And since 2020, the population has continued to grow and exceed county projections.
This wave has been slower than before, but just like during the previous booms the City can look at different housing types to accommodate this growth. Everyone deserves a home, and the City is striving to make this easier for more people.
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