SPOKANE, Wash. — The city of Spokane could be one step closer to buying the Trent Shelter, which is housing hundreds of homeless men and women.
The resolution passed tonight is non-binding, but council will send developer Larry Stone a letter letting him know the city does intend to buy the building. It's a move Mayor Nadine Woodward does not support.
Right now, the city of Spokane is spending roughly $1,000 a day to lease the Trent Shelter. When the city entered a lease with Spokane developer Larry Stone this summer, they negotiated an option to purchase the property, but that option expires at the end of the month.
"It makes clear sense that if we're going to have this for longer than a year that we should be purchasing it," Councilmember Zack Zappone said.
in a 5-2 vote tonight, council members passed a resolution. The city and Mr. Stone will have to agree on an independent appraiser to get a market value and then agree on a sales price within 15 days, according to council president Breean Beggs.
"I'm going to oppose this because I just don't think that we're in a situation where we know this has a long-term sustainable future at this point in time," Councilmember Michael Cathcart said.
Mayor Nadine Woodward is also opposed to buying the building. Instead, she wants to invest in building permanent bathrooms, a kitchen and a laundry facility.
"Right now what happens is those services are largely contracted so that incurs a monthly fee and expense and some of those expenses are quite high." City Spokesperson Brian Coddington said. "The belief is that it will pay itself back in a matter of months rather than years."
"It just seems challenging to invest the money in bathrooms for someone else to reap the value of it," Council president Breean Beggs said. "So, I think if we are going to keep this for more than a few months, which I am assuming we are, we should buy the building."
KREM 2 was unable to reach Stone for comment tonight.
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