Spokane C.O.P.S. is offer training to apartment managers, property management staff, maintenance supervisors and owners of rental property. In addition, many of our Spokane neighbors, law enforcement, media representatives and more have taken this training to help create a great quality of life in their own neighborhoods.
This is a 2-day training consisting of 12 topics related to property management. The next training is March 22 and 29, 2018, 8:30-5:00pm both days, at C.O.P.S. East Central, 2116 East First Ave, Spokane. Morning and afternoon snacks and lunch the first day will be provided. Learn more about C.O.P.S. Crime Free Rental Property Program.
ASK YOURSELF THIS…IS CRIME FREE RENTAL PROPERTY CERTIFICATION RIGHT FOR YOU?
“Are you concerned about nuisance or criminal activity in your rental community?”
“Are you interested in establishing a more stable, satisfied long-term resident base?”
“Would you like to provide a safe and secure environment for your residents?”
If you answered yes to any of these questions, the Crime Free Rental Property Program and training is right for you!
This program is honest and direct. It is solution oriented. It is designed to be easy, yet very effective in reducing the incident of crime in rental properties.
2-Day Training for 2018
MARCH 22 & 29, 2018
8:30 am – 5:00 pm
The cost is $75 per person. We need at least 15 confirmed attendees to have this class. REGISTER HERE.
If you prefer, you may pay with check to:
Spokane C.O.P.S.
6107 North Astor Street
Spokane, WA 99208
Training is typically done twice a year. Call 509-625-3301 for more information on how you can get your multi-family housing unit involved.
SNAP has limited funding to assist with the removal of trees, stumps, and woody debris over 4 inches in diameter for low-income home owners within the City of Spokane. The City of Spokane has provided funding to allow SNAP to provide these services. Eligibility is determined by SNAP guidelines and funding availability. SNAP can be reached at (509) 319-3080 or through their website at www.snapwa.org.
Resources are limited and approved funding is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Please submit applications for SNAP assistance by September 20, 2016. Applications received after September 20, 2016 will be considered if remaining funding is available.
Neighborhood Clean-Up Program: Call the Office of Neighborhood Services to get information at (509) 625-6083. In some cases, neighborhoods have funds allocated to provide services to help you clean up your property.
Catholic Charities Volunteer chore service for seniors and disabled individuals can be contacted at (509) 459-6172. Eligibility is determined by Catholic Charities.
Additional information: Residents who do not qualify for programs are encouraged to look at the list of licensed arborists on the City’s website at spokanecity.org. For removal of large stumps, consider logging, demolition and excavation companies. The Waste to Energy Facility is located at 2900 S. Geiger Boulevard; clean green material can be disposed of at the regular clean green disposal rate. The cost is $5.30 for up to 220 pounds or $49.76 per ton. Call 8-1-1 before you dig for safety reasons.
If you have any questions, please call the Office of Neighborhood Services and Code Enforcement at (509) 625-6083.
This is a brief recap of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council (EGNC) meeting that took place on February 10, 2016.
Patrick Striker, the Executive Director of the Spokane Community-Oriented Policing Services (Spokane C.O.P.S.) program gave common-sense advice about preventing crime. Some of his tips included:
Do not leave anything tempting in a vehicle, such as a laptop bag, regardless of whether or not it contains valuable contents. As jackets can also be used for covering valuables, that may also be tempting to a criminal.
Get to know your neighbors so you can identify unusual activity or vehicles.
Report anything suspicious you see by calling Crime Check at 456-2233, even if you don’t expect the police to act on it. Incidents have to be logged to establish crime patterns and focus police patrols.
If an incident is happening right at the moment, call 911.
When criminals see more activity and oversight in a neighborhood, such as with an active Block Watch, they are less confident in committing crime.
Kathy Armstrong and Patrick Striker of Spokane C.O.P.S. speak to the neighborhood council
Patrick also noted that code violation complaints can be submitted through a C.O.P.S. Shop, so all of the documentation can be recorded with the Shop as the source to keep you anonymous. If you do file directly with Code Enforcement, you may check a box on the form to remain anonymous if you feel threatened.
Kathy Armstrong of the Spokane Police Department reported on the Department of Justice Reform Recommendations, with forums bridging the gap between law enforcement and the community. The DOJ works together with the reform committee. Officers go through Crisis Intervention Training (CIT) to handle individuals with mental health issues. In addition to 40 hours of CIT, officers have also gone through training with Spokane Mental Health. There is additional training planned with World Relief to educate officers on the cultures of those who are immigrating into Spokane.
Jonathan Mallahan of the City of Spokane’s Division of Neighborhood and Business Services (currently called the Office of Neighborhood Services) reported on the upcoming organizational changes at the City. He stated that there will be no reduction in the workforce during the reorganization of departments, which is scheduled to take place on March 1, and that many of the current departmental duties will be brought into closer alignment. Many of the questions that were brought up following Jonathan’s presentation were related to Parking Services, so an additional speaker will be invited to a future neighborhood council meeting to address that topic.
A call went out for volunteers at the Emerson-Garfield Farmers’ Market for the 2016 season. Several members stepped forward to assist and share responsibilities.
The new Neighborhood Notification Ordinance, which currently notifies the EGNC chair and vice chair of the applications for construction projects, was discussed along with recent training sessions on the issue. Neighborhood Notification is intended to keep residents apprised of what is happening in terms of neighborhood development and will give them some voice in the process. Anyone will be able to sign up for permit and land use alerts within a certain distance from their property.
Traffic-calming requests are due by the March 9 EGNC meeting and will be put forward for approval at that time.
Laura Schlangen reported on the Corbin Senior Activity Center. Beth Daniels is the new administrative manager and will be responsible for tours. The Movin’ and Groovin’ Fair will be on March 5. The Parks Department has decided not to give financial support to the center’s elevator project.
Jay Cousins reported on the recent Community Assembly meeting. The main issue was a prolonged discussion regarding the ongoing funding of citywide sidewalk projects. Because so many decisions are pending, there will be no sidewalk projects in 2016.
The Land Use Committee, which Barb Biles attended, discussed the impact of high-volume housing at Indian Trail, but there were no issues discussed that would impact Emerson-Garfield.
Jonathan Martinez reported on the Rental Housing Stakeholders Group. Concerns regarding landlord-tenant issues will be presented at the YMCA corporate building on Boone and Monroe on February 23 at 3:30pm.
The West Quadrant Tax Increment Financing Committee (WQTIF), represented by Megan Kennedy, did not have a quorum for the past two meetings. The main focus in our neighborhood with the committee is North Monroe. An additional position on the committee is open, so please consider serving.
Carlie Hoffman reported on topics discussed at the recent meeting of the citywide Pedestrian, Traffic and Transportation (PeTT) Committee. The Washington State Department of Transportation may provide counters to measure bikes and pedestrians if the City can find funds for installation and maintenance. The City is also currently working on updating the Transportation chapter of the Comprehensive Plan.
This is a brief recap of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council meeting that took place on October 14, 2015.
There were several guest speakers. Greg Johnson from Cliff-Cannon Neighborhood spoke first to address the cell tower ordinance. He noted that there has been a clash between those who desire more cellular data coverage and those residents who are concerned with their proximity to a cell phone tower for health or aesthetic reasons. There are substitutes, he said, such as a larger number of smaller, shorter-range antennas that would not be as visible. AT&T has opposed using the smaller antennas, whereas Verizon has been supportive of them.
Greg said there is no protection for a historical property in this ordinance, and there is a very short (20 foot) setback from a residence. The tower can also be as tall as 60 feet with the current ordinance. The City cannot dictate technology, but it does have the power to regulate aesthetic guidelines.
From the October 2015 meeting of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council
He added that AT&T has had lawyers working on this issue who have significant financial leverage on their side. There are lawyers available to oppose AT&T, but Cliff-Cannon Neighborhood has exhausted its funding. Donations can be made to fund additional work by the neighborhood’s lawyers. Also, the City Council will be allowing people to speak on record regarding this issue. Councilwoman Candace Mumm confirmed some of that information, and clarified that e-mails can be sent to Plan Commission members in advance of a public meeting.
Officer Doug Strosahl from the Spokane Police Department reported on crime in our neighborhood. As was the case last month, crime is down overall, but there are reasons for concern. Out of other neighborhoods in SPD’s “P2” area, which includes portions of West Central and North Hill, Emerson-Garfield has had the highest reporting of crimes in the past month. You can research crime prevention through environmental design (aka CPTED) to get some ideas regarding how to reduce crime around your property.
A question was raised about cars on the street with expired tags. Officer Strosahl said that you can report the car to 755-CITY. The compliance time between report and towing is as little as 2 to 3 weeks. If you do call the report in, your name will be on the report, but if you mail in a report requesting non-disclosure, your name will not be visible to the vehicle owner. Cars are not supposed to be rebuilt or repaired on public streets, so this can be reported as well. Parking enforcement can ticket a reported car that has half of its tires on the street and half on the sidewalk.
Councilwoman Candace Mumm spoke next and gave a quick City Council update. The City’s expenses and revenue are both going up. A new police chief will need to be hired, although she said the acting chief is doing a good job. The City has been without a planning director for over a year now, and that slows down improvements around the city. There are openings on the Plan Commission for residents to advise the City regarding various matters, and residents with interest and skill are encouraged to fill out the two-page application.
Max Benson from the non-profit Community Frameworks reported that their old office is being torn down to build 32 low-income housing units with one unit for a property manager. This property will be called West 315. Demolition will begin after October 26, and the project should be completed roughly one year from now. Spokane Housing Ventures will be managing the property. There will also be a bus shelter on the corner of Washington and Mission. The sidewalks surrounding the building will be wider than before. Over $100,000 of solar panels will be on the roof. Community Frameworks has also applied for Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) funds for the North Calispel Improvement Project to pave a portion of Calispel between Sinto and Mission.
It was noted that Community Frameworks has been very proactive in its dealings with the EGNC and has requested the neighborhood council’s input during many of the phases of their development to make sure that the result will be in accordance with our neighborhood’s plan.
Director of Neighborhood Services Jonathan Mallahan spoke last regarding Mayor Condon’s 2016 proposed budget. He said there has already been a great deal of collaboration between the City Council and the Mayor prior to publication of the proposed budget, which will total $810 million. He pointed out some of the anomalies, such as the wastewater management initiative that accounts for over 45% of the total budget. It is a one-time investment because of federal requirements. Jonathan encouraged citizens to contact him directly with questions at (509) 625-6734.
Next came voting issues. The neighborhood council members voted unanimously to assign $11,290.96 from the CDBG street tree account toward tree plantings within the neighborhood, as the funds can no longer be held in that account. A portion of the money could be used to fund irrigation on the NW Boulevard traffic islands that are being planted as part of the 2015 Greening Grant cycle. That community planting, incidentally, will be held on Saturday, October 31. Volunteers are encouraged to help. Anyone on Facebook is welcome to RSVP to the event.
The neighborhood gateway project in partnership with North Hill Neighborhood near Cora and Monroe has made significant progress. It will have trees and irrigation, along with signs welcoming travelers to both neighborhoods. A total of $128,000 in CDBG funds—$64,000 from each neighborhood over two years—will be allocated to the project. Construction will take place in 2018 along with North Monroe Street revitalization. The measure was passed unanimously by voting members, each of whom signed a CDBG conflict of interest statement.
On Saturday, November 7, Faith Bible Church (600 W Cora) will be holding a free Fall Cleanup event. They will have two dumpsters onsite for green yard waste (residents are encouraged to bring their leaves), and they will also be going out into Emerson-Garfield to do some roving cleanup. The church is looking for volunteers from the neighborhood to spread the word and assist on the day. Contact Nathan for more info.
Laura Schlangen reported on the Corbin Senior Activity Center. Their Munch and Mingle Auction sold out and netted almost $18,000.
Community Assembly (CA) meetings will be changing to the first Thursday of each month, starting at 5:30, in the new year. The importance of having a representative who can consistently attend both EGNC and CA meetings was stressed. Four neighborhood council members expressed interest in being a CA or co-CA representative.
This is a recap of the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council meeting that took place on Wednesday, September 9.
In response to concerns about an increase in crime, Officer Tracy Ponto of the Spokane Police Department addressed neighborhood crime statistics over the last month. The reports include West Central as well parts of North Hill, so there is no distinction from Emerson-Garfield, but they do indicate some downward trends. Sexual assault is down this month. Commercial robbery is down, and robbery of a person is slightly down as well. Domestic violence has seen a year-on-year decrease. Total property crimes have shown a decrease of 16% from last month, and 9.56% from this time last year.
As for incidents of concern, there was a drive-by shooting on W Euclid, which was suspected to have targeted the wrong house. There was also a report of an elderly couple’s home being booby-trapped by an intruder who had settled in their garage.
To report squatters in vacant or abandoned houses, the Office of Code Enforcement is reachable at (509) 625-6083. For post-crime calls, call CrimeCheck at (509) 456-2233. When witnessing a crime in progress, please call 911. Officer Ponto stressed that reporting crimes will influence the future patrolling of an area.
Judith Gilmore from the Fulcrum Institute reported on recent progress at the Ash Street Workforce Training Station, to which the Emerson-Garfield Neighborhood Council has allocated Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds. All three of the one-bedroom affordable apartments have now been completed and rented. The retail area is finished and tenants are being recruited to fill all three training bays. The store, called The Station, will have a beverage bar and a retail counter. There are 80 adults (parents to some 59 children) from our neighborhood who are being serviced by the station.
Michael Cathcart, representing the Alliance to Protect Local Jobs, spoke on the subject of Proposition 1 on the upcoming November general election ballot. This is the fourth ballot measure in our area proposed by the same group, and none of the other three measures was successful. In response to some of the provisions of the proposed ballot measure, Cathcart said that employers who have as few as 150 full-time employees (or 300 half-time employees) would be required to pay a vague minimum wage (approximately $18.30/hour), which is higher than in any other city. If the city did not enforce the minimum wage, then the minimum wage would rise to $23/hour. The measure would also prohibit wage increases based on experience or seniority, which may reduce retention. Furthermore, there is also no definition of the effort, skill, or responsibility used in its language, which could lead to frivolous lawsuits.
The action item on the agenda was the reallocation of the $17,865 in 2015 CDBG funds that had previously been allocated towards a bus shelter on North Monroe. It was proposed that the council direct $10,000 towards Fulcrum and $7,865 toward the West Central Community Center, two of the EGNC’s top priorities as determined by vote during the August 2015 meeting. This would give the council an additional $17,865 to allocate for the 2016. The motion was passed unanimously with no abstentions.
The two traffic-calming requests that were submitted by the neighborhood council in February were addressed. The City responses were included among the meeting agenda.
The future of the North Monroe Street revitalization was broached and discussed. There were questions over the delay in construction until 2018.
Jonathan Martinez reported on the past several meetings regarding landlord and tenant issues. The role of City of Spokane Code Enforcement was also discussed; our neighborhood’s representative is Officer Chappie. Additional attendance on the rental property committee is encouraged.
