Spokane
One month of wildfires has cost Washington state over $200 million
Washington’s fire season lasts through October.
'Missing middle housing' accounted for nearly 20% of Spokane permits in 2025
Recent laws making it easier and less costly to build smaller residential buildings are having their intended effect.
Spokane Passes 12% Parking Tax
The new tax will support city transportation projects.
Spokane Zoning Bill Would Ban Detention Centers in the City
Two proposed city ordinances would prevent federal immigration authorities from using city property for detention facilities.
Spokane Could Tax Parking Lots 12% to Increase Development
A proposal before the city council would tax surface parking lots in an effort to boost infill development.
Spokane Updates its Complete Streets Policy
Mayor Lisa Brown signed a revised version of the city’s Complete Streets framework that more closely aligns with state law and the city’s municipal code.
Spokane Mayor Introduces Housing Reforms Package
Mayor Lisa Brown’s proposals include deferring or waiving some development fees to encourage more affordable housing development.
Spokane Could Eliminate Parking Minimums Near Transit
A Washington state proposal to reduce parking minimums failed in the state legislature earlier this year.
ACLU Sues Washington State for Anti-Camping Laws
In the first legal challenges since June’s U.S. Supreme Court decision that cities can enforce outdoor sleeping bans, the ACLU filed a lawsuit alleging Washington’s anti-camping laws violate the state constitution.
Spokane City Council Calls for ‘Safe Streets Now!’
The Washington city approved a resolution aimed at improving pedestrian safety.
Spokane Launches Safe Streets Initiative
The Washington city received a $9.6 million federal grant to fund quick-build traffic calming and bike and pedestrian infrastructure projects.
Spokane Imposes Temporary Ban on New Subdivision Housing Due to Wildfire Risk
Citing inadequate fire protection and public safety resources, the Spokane City Council has temporarily halted subdivision development in the wildland-urban interface of Latah Valley.
Regional Authority to Address Homelessness Proposed in Spokane
The city wants to coordinate resources and groups to bring resources to unhoused residents after the closure of Camp Hope, formerly the largest encampment in the state.
Spokane’s Missing ‘Missing Middle Housing’
City records show that Spokane has issued few permits for duplexes, triplexes, and other forms of mid-density housing.
Spokane Prepares To Disband the State’s Largest Community of Unhoused People
With $24 million in state funding directed to Spokane’s efforts to reduce homelessness, city officials plan to relocate the over 600 residents of Camp Hope. But will services follow?
Spokane to Test Citywide Residential Density Incentives
The Spokane City Council in July will consider the "Building Opportunity and Choices for All" pilot program, which would allow new residential densities throughout the city.
Spokane To Implement Drought Response Ordinance
The city council voted to override a veto of the ordinance by the mayor, enacting new water conservation measures.
Opinion: Spokane Needs 'Missing Middle Housing'
With demand for housing in Eastern Washington rising steeply, the region could benefit from zoning reform that encourages small and mid-sized multifamily developments.
Housing Affordability Crisis Spreading to More Cities
Cities like Spokane, Washington courted new residents and businesses during the pandemic. Now, they're starting to wonder if it was worth it.
The 'Mountain Lion' Cities Rising in the U.S. West
An economist identifies the growth in nine U.S. cities—scattered from Utah to Texas, Arizona, Washington, and Idaho—as similar to the economic power generated in parts of Asia.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
City of Thousand Oaks
City of Wisconsin Rapids
Harvard University Graduate School of Design
The Architects Foundation
University of Cincinnati Online
Northern Illinois Transit Authority (NITA)
The Pocatello Development Authority
The Urban Renewal Agency of the City of Pocatello
