SPOKANE, Wash. – A recent report by Marbut Consulting has shed light on Spokane’s housing crisis, revealing that over half of the city’s unhoused population moved to Spokane after losing their housing.
The study, commissioned by the Spokane Business Association, found that 50.2% of unhoused individuals in Spokane first began experiencing homelessness outside the city. The report describes Spokane as often being a secondary destination for those without housing.
Additional data from the study highlights that the average age of Spokane’s unhoused population is 45.7 years old. Furthermore, the average duration of homelessness in Spokane is reported as 8.7 years, which is more than twice the average length of homelessness in Seattle.
The study also uncovered that nearly half of Spokane’s unhoused population attended high school outside of Washington State.
The issue of homelessness is not new to Spokane. Extensive coverage has been done on the efforts aimed at reversing the growing unhoused population in the area. Spokane City Council recently passed two ordinances focusing on homelessness and community safety. However, they deferred another proposal in the legislative package.