Report from Homeless Task Force Public Comment from Bill MatsonAimee Brunckhorst
From: William Matson <william.matson@pcni.org>
Sent: Friday, October 23, 2020 11:53 AM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: [EXTERNAL] PUBLIC COMMENT: Report from Homeless Task Force
Attachments: HomelessDefinition.pdf
I want to take issue with the way that my conversation with Rod Kuntz in early June was represented in the 2020
Homeless Task Force report to the City Council. I'd also like to correct a section of the report that describes how
homelessness is defined.
It's obvious that people who are homeless lack homes - there is a housing issue. As I told Mr Kuntz, there is also often a
public health issue (note the significant percentage of unhoused people in the Point in Time count who reported
physical health, mental health and/or substance abuse issues). The City of Kalispell is very fortunate that homeless
services providers are working hand in hand with other organizations (healthcare, legal, etc.) to meet these
needs. Examples of this collaboration include:
the Flathead COVID-19 Emergency Shelter Collaborative
(https://www.flatheadcovid19emergencVsheltercollaborative.or /)
Coordinated Entry - a process led by Community Action Partnership where local homeless services providers and
others gather regularly to work together to prioritize the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness
and help them move back into housing
I urge the City to strongly support these collaborative efforts and to include local homeless services providers when it
makes future plans to address homelessness in the city.
On the issue of affordable housing, an important statistic from the report: one out of every five of people who were
unsheltered during the point in time count was working full time. These people need affordable housing.
Lastly, because homelessness is such an important issue it's important to define it accurately. I've attached to this email
a document from HUD that lays out federal definitions in an easy to understand format. There are four categories of
homelessness:
• Continuum of Care Point in Time counts use Category 1. People in this category are literally homeless
• People in Category 2 are at risk of homelessness and qualify for certain types of financial assistance
• Category 3 is used by the Department of Education. Category 3 includes students and their families who are
experiencing significant housing instability; that's why school system counts of homeless families and youth are
usually much higher than traditional homeless counts in the same communities
• People in category 4 are considered homeless because they are fleeing domestic violence
Thank you for this opportunity to correct the record. I am looking forward to hearing about how you use this report to
move the City forward and address the needs of Kalispell's homeless residents.
Bill Matson
William Matson, Executive Director
Pathways Community Network Institute
1 West Court Square, Suite 750
Decatur, GA 30030
[Office] 404.639.9933 [Direct - NEW!] 404.590.3820
http://www.linkedin.com/in/WilliamMatson
www.pcni.org
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(1) Individual or family who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate
nighttime residence, meaning:
Category
Literally
(i) Has a primary nighttime residence that is a public or
1
Homeless
private place not meant for human habitation;
(i i) Is living in a publicly or privately operated shelter
designated to provide temporary living arrangements
(including congregate shelters, transitional housing, and
hotels and motels paid for by charitable organizations or
by federal, state and local government programs); or
(iii) Is exiting an institution where (s)he has resided for 90 days
or less and who resided in an emergency shelter or place
not meant for human habitation immediately before
entering that institution
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(2) Individual or family who will imminently lose their primary
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nighttime residence, provided that:
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Category
Imminent Risk of
(i) Residence will be lost within 14 days of the date of
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Homelessness
application for homeless assistance;
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(i i) No subsequent residence has been identified; and
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The individual or family lacks the resources or support
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networks needed to obtain other permanent housing
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3 Unaccompanied youth under 25 ears of age, or families with
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children and youth, who do not otherwise qualify as homeless
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Category
Homeless under
under this definition, but who:
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other Federal
(i) Are defined as homeless under the other listed federal
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statutes
statutes;
(i i) Have not had a lease, ownership interest, or occupancy
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agreement in permanent housing during the 60 days prior
to the homeless assistance application;
(iii) Have experienced persistent instability as measured by two
moves or more during in the preceding 60 days; and
(iv) Can be expected to continue in such status for an extended
period of time due to special needs or barriers
(4) Any individual or family who:
(i) Is fleeing, or is attempting to flee, domestic violence;
Category
Fleeing/
(ii) Has no other residence; and
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Attempting to
(iii) Lacks the resources or support networks to obtain other
Flee DV
permanent housing