HELP US RELOCATE FOR SAFETY — Send a Message That Spokane Deserves Better

We are raising funds to relocate our small business to a safe and thriving environment — not just for our survival, but to send a powerful wake-up call to the City of Spokane and Catholic Charities: Enough is enough.

By moving our business out of an area plagued by crime, drug activity, and mismanagement, we are making a bold statement that our community deserves safety, accountability, and clean streets. This relocation is more than a move — it’s a protest, a call to action, and a stand for every resident and business owner who has been ignored or harmed by the city’s negligence.

Your donation, no matter the size, will help us cover moving costs, reestablish our operations, and shine a light on the need for systemic change. The louder our exit, the harder it will be for officials and organizations to ignore their responsibility to our community.

Together, we can demand a safer, cleaner, and more just Spokane. Please contribute and share this campaign with friends, family, and co-workers. Let’s turn this local crisis into a citywide movement for change.

Thank you for your support — it means the world to us.

HOW YOUR DONATION WILL BE USED:

   1. Urbanna opened its doors in October of 2009, in an area with hardly any crime. However, the situation drastically changed with the opening of Father Bach Haven in 2013. Since that time, Urbanna has faced a steady increase in crime, public health hazards, and disorder. These escalating issues are a direct result of the negligent placement and mismanagement of high-risk housing facilities in the vicinity of our business. We have provided crime charts that clearly show the low crime rates prior to the establishment of the Catholic Charities facilities. The shift in crime patterns correlates with the expansion of these facilities and the influx of individuals with criminal backgrounds.

FINANCIAL DAMAGES FOR BUSINESS LOSSES

   2. For over a decade—since the opening of Father Bach Haven in 2013—Urbanna has endured daily exposure to relentless crime, public health hazards, and chronic disorder, directly caused by the negligent placement and mismanagement of high-risk housing facilities near our business. Please refer to the crime charts that show the low crime rates before the Catholic Charity Facilites were build. Urbanna began in October of  2009.

   Many tenants of these facilities are repeat offenders with serious criminal histories, and their presence has drawn an ongoing influx of transient individuals and street-level criminals. These individuals loiter, deal and use drugs, attempt to break into neighboring businesses, and come into our company, interfering with our safety and bringing chaos into our once-safe community.

As a result, we’ve suffered immeasurable financial, emotional, and physical damages, including:

• Persistent loss of customers and revenue due to an unsafe and unsanitary environment
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• Loss of valuable staff due to damage and theft of their vehicles, working in unsafe and unsanitary conditions, and hearing repeated customer complaints, ultimately leading to relocation to safer salons.

• Daily clean-up of hazardous waste such as used needles, human feces, vomit, trash, and spilled food directly in front of our storefront

• Ongoing vandalism, including graffiti and broken windows

• The dead trees lining our business have severely impacted our curb appeal and overall image. These trees perished after street individuals dug up the water lines, and with temperatures reaching 102 degrees, the trees could not survive the extreme heat. This loss not only detracts from our business’s visual appeal but has also contributed to a negative perception of the area.

• Our window was shot seven times by gunfire from across the street

• Individuals from the Catholic Charities facilities, along with street people, have repeatedly entered our establishment, causing disruptions to our business operations. On several occasions, we have had to threaten to call the police to get them to leave after they refused to vacate the premises. These individuals have stolen products, loitered, and generally created an unsafe and uncomfortable environment for our customers and staff. One alarming incident occurred during our busiest hour—5:00 PM—when a man exposed himself and masturbated in our entrance, further highlighting the severity of the issues we’re facing.

• The constant threat of violence in our neighborhood has had a devastating impact on our business. Incidents such as stabbings, robberies, public fighting, screaming, and domestic violence occurring right outside our doors have created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity. The frequent police and SWAT team responses, ambulance calls, and reports of pedestrian injuries, overdoses, and even murders have made it nearly impossible to maintain a safe and welcoming environment for our customers. These dangerous conditions have caused a significant decline in foot traffic, driven away potential customers, and resulted in substantial financial losses as people avoid our business for their own safety.

• The unsafe conditions around our former parking area have created significant challenges for our business. Staff members refused to park there due to fear for their safety, leading to overcrowding in our customer parking lot. Even after opening a new parking area, staff continue to avoid it due to the incomplete fencing and security measures, which we cannot afford, despite the area being fully lit. While our customer parking lot is fenced, the open gate during business hours has allowed street individuals to hide between vehicles, using drugs and engaging in other illicit activities. This has further contributed to a dangerous environment and negatively impacted both staff morale and customer perception.

• Tents, open fires, weapons, and active drug use (including fentanyl injection and smoking) near and in front of our entrance

• Exorbitant costs for security and repairs, all borne by us with no support or accountability from the city

We’ve been forced to operate under siege — while the City of Spokane and Catholic Charities not only fail to intervene but continue to support these facilities without regard for the devastating impact on small businesses like ours and others

We are seeking full financial compensation for the extensive and ongoing damages we’ve suffered — including the obstruction of our fundamental right to operate and thrive as a business in a safe and secure environment, cleanup and repair costs, and the overall destruction of our business environment. But more importantly, we are demanding that Spokane City and Catholic Charities be held accountable for the ongoing public safety crisis they have created and allowed to thrive.

Our fight is not just for our business — it’s for every resident and business owner who deserves a safe and dignified community.