SPR News Today: October 15, 2026

Since mid-September, the city of Spokane's Remote Development Services Office has helped homeowners navigate wildfire recovery.

The office is set up at the Shadle Park Library in North Spokane.

Planning department staff are on-hand weekdays from 9:00 to 5:00 to help survivors check city code, review plans and submit permits.

Donna Bontirolo is a principal planner for the city.

She says her team has offered emotional and logistical support.

I think they do wanna feel validation that what they're going through is extremely difficult, and that we would never expect them to know how to do this.

Because, and I think that's kind of what we want to let them know is-

Mm-hmm

...

this is why we're here.

We're here to help.

We do not expect you to understand or know how to do all of these things.

Bontirolo and her team have worked with about 50 clients so far.

Many of them have removed hazardous materials or received a clean asbestos survey, and are now working on getting demolition or rebuilding permits.

The city has already issued 12 rebuilding permits.

This is the last week the Shadle Park office will offer regular services, but Bontirolo says her team will return to the library on Saturday, October 24th.

They're also considering doing evening pop-ups several times a month.