Spokane's beautiful nature can be experienced from the views and brews in Green Bluff to the never-ending horizon atop the Rocks of Sharon. Our outdoor recreation, access to public lands, and all four seasons create opportunities to savor the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest year-round. While exploring downtown, you can encounter the staggering power and majesty of the Spokane Falls running through the core of our city, creating an experience that can’t be duplicated anywhere else.

It’s not just poetic language or our own impressions that highlight Spokane’s charm — you told us so yourselves. Greater Spokane Inc. (GSI) has released the third edition of The Pulse, a nonpartisan, data-driven quality of life survey of voters in the Spokane region. First launched in October 2024, this community survey has provided elected officials and community leaders with meaningful insight to guide reflection and policy action.

Seventy percent of respondents identify our location, climate, or scenery as the best things about living in Spokane. While there is much to love, three consecutive Pulse surveys conducted over the past year have also revealed that respondent’s top priorities have remained the same. 

A combined 80% of respondents consistently rank public safety, homelessness, and trust in government as their top concerns — a trend echoed across all three editions of The Pulse survey. Ninety percent say a thriving downtown is critical for our region, but two out of three respondents report visiting less often. 

Residents have made their priorities clear — they’re looking for real, visible progress on the issues that matter most. From downtown to their neighborhoods, they want to see collective action translating into tangible results.

The Pulse serves as a catalyst for meaningful dialogue between community members and local leaders, fostering the kind of collaboration that is driving tangible change in Spokane. At their Oct. 27 meeting, the Spokane City Council introduced and unanimously passed the Safe and Accessible Spaces emergency ordinance. City Council members developed this ordinance collaboratively to align with community voices. It allows vulnerable individuals to plug into appropriate services while empowering our law enforcement to keep our streets, sidewalks, and green spaces accessible for safe passage. 

This new ordinance directly reflects what residents have been asking their local leaders for. According to data from The Pulse, 78% of respondents report that prohibiting camping in parks, on sidewalks, and other rights of way would have a significant impact on their quality of life. Seventy-six percent of respondents say the same about improving treatment services for drug addiction and mental health. 

Spokane’s voters continue to make their priorities clear. While The Pulse shows a modest rise in public trust, 78% of respondents still express uncertainty that the city has an effective plan to address public safety. That feedback is that it’s directional, not discouraging. It reminds us that meaningful progress takes sustained collaboration, accountability, and follow-through.

We have seen the progress that can be made when leadership and community come together to share meaningful conversation and collaborate. Through initiatives like the Safe & Healthy Spokane Task Force, GSI is helping bring local government, business, and nonprofit partners to the same table to address safety, homelessness, and quality-of-life issues in a coordinated way. Each collaborative effort builds the trust and transparency that residents are asking for and that The Pulse data continues to highlight as essential to long-term success.

By continuing to listen, measure, and act together in coordination rather than opposition, we can transform data into direction, and direction into progress. That is how we build a stronger, safer, and more vibrant Spokane.