Work Session on Unsheltered Homelessness Public Comment from Patrick Copeland-MaloneAimee Brunckhorst
From: Patrick Copeland -Malone <pcmwccc@hotmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, October 25, 2020 1:42 PM
To: Mark Johnson; Kalispell City Council
Cc: Doug Russell; editor@flatheadbeacon.com; editor@dailyinterlake.com; Patrick
Copeland -Malone
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Kalispell Council Work Session on Unsheltered Homelessness
October 24, 2020
Honorable Mayor Mark Johnson and Kalispell City Council Members:
RE: KALISPELL HOMELESS TASK FORCE — REPORT AND RECOMMENDATIONS
I've recently learned about a report from a "Mayor's Homeless Task Force" which was apparently intended to
assess Flathead County's affordable housing and unsheltered population service delivery system. I understand
this report will be presented to the City Council at its October 26t" meeting.
I would like to offer the following observations/comments:
1. The tone of the report, overall, seems very negative to the subject in general and to the existing service
delivery providers specifically. Repeated author (not identified) references to terms such as; troubling,
confusion, distrust, overlapping, burden, suspect, myth, disconcerting, dysfunctional, etc. Adjectives
which in most cases are clearly not proven. An obvious and unhealthy bias seems to run throughout
the report against certain service providers but very favorable towards the city's actions. Most
unfortunate in our "fact" vs. "fake" information age.
2. Task Force Mission. The original stated mission of the Task Force has merit but is ultimately unrealistic
and therefore of very limited value since only the City of Kalispell and not the County or even larger
region is addressed. Persons without addresses are mobile, nomadic often. As the Report itself proves
it is nearly impossible to assess a regional issue and a regional service delivery model on a single city
basis. The topic general topic of affordable housing could have been mentioned but then dropped as
it's mostly unrelated to the narrower topic of improving unsheltered outcomes.
Having said that however, one can very easily infer a much less malevolent objective. Like that coming
from the FOX network reporting of homelessness encampments and lawlessness in cities like Los
Angeles, Portland, San Francisco, Seattle, etc. These highly sensationalized and exploitative politically
motivated pieces do a huge disservice to those who experience any form of homelessness and to those
providing essential services.
3. Task Force Composition. The Council should always be concerned about any study that does not
directly involve those most affected by its potential policy/finance recommendations — most
importantly persons who are or have experienced homelessness. I am a former public policy analyst for
the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless and helped establish interfaith homeless networks in Eugene
OR and Spokane WA. As a family, we have housed or created affordable housing to help transition folks
from the streets and into safe and decent SRO -style housing for over 20 years. Involving persons who
are/have experienced homelessness is the only way to understand the complexity of issues such folks
face. And....the public should always be concerned when a report does not identify an author or the
group's composition.
4. The report should have started by eliminating the topic of "affordable housing" since that was not the
Task Force's mission and then done a clearer job of outlining the current service delivery system
regarding the unsheltered population (agencies, funding sources, client demographics, service
outcomes, etc. rather than attempting to bury it mid -report) and then jumped into specific nuances,
which are many, so that all viewers have a clear and comprehensive understanding of how the
unsheltered are assisted within the County and City.
5. The report states that unsheltered folks are underserved but yet places too much stress on city
resources and cites "adverse social interactions, damage to property and the city's reputation" as well
as impacts on law enforcement as apparent reasons for disinvesting in assisting unsheltered
populations. This is sad! Unsheltered populations are a huge challenge for anyone engaged in this
work. Yet ... they are our family members, our neighbors, members from our churches, former business
owners, veterans, etc. Ultimately they are us but with typically an underlying traumatic issue (such as
divorce, health, depression, addiction, bankruptcy, etc.).
6. PIT and HMIS. I helped conduct the very first Point in Time count in the City of Chicago in 1990 and
served for five years on Spokane's Human Service Review Committee which in part worked closely in
funding and monitoring Spokane's HMIS system. Numbers are and will always be a challenge when
attempting to find and measure a population that lives in cars, in parks/forests, under bridges, etc. Like
any attempt at a completely accurate census, PIT and HMIS always fail.
Qualitative data about the causal factors of homelessness (the actual root causes) is ultimately far
more important in terms of designing intervention strategies. I've volunteered at least at a dozen
homeless shelters over 30 years and listened to literally a thousand stories with some similar and yet
also very different life changing events. Suicide, addiction, violence, mental health... simply does not
uniformly affect different people the same.
And BYW... the PIT is a federally mandated reporting tool only conducted once annually on a specific
date. Perhaps you're suggesting another type of comprehensive census that could be conducted
quarterly — that the City would pay for (conducting and analyzing) ????????
7. Affordable Housing v. Homelessness. In my experience these are two different, though not entirely
separate, issues or opportunities for local public policy. Affordable housing is a larger issue confronting
a majority of the population and is generally thought of as anyone (or family) paying more than 30% of
their take home income on shelter (whether rental or owned). Affordable housing therefore requires
some degree of income (even if it's TANF or state general assistance). In 2018 Kalispell's median home
value was $214,100, median monthly homeowner costs were $1,240 and median rent was $755. Its
annual median household income was $47,362, its per capita income was $24,614, and 14.8% of the
population was in poverty. Meaning that an average Kalispell family can NOT afford a median priced
home and a single person can NOT afford a median priced rental. So ... the Kalispell housing market
would not be affordable to many residents.
1. Govt Impacts on Housing Costs. It is not entirely accurate to say that local government policies
and fee structures don't or can't impact the cost of housing. Waiving impact fees is just one of a
great many strategies that a majority of cities use to address the expansion of affordable
housing. Many cities dedicate resources to a wide variety of affordable housing and social
services in support of those who are "under -housed or homeless", such as Spokane where 1%
of the City's budget is allocated to a wide range of community housing and human service
efforts. Vulnerable populations are always a matter of "priority", not funding. Keeping housing
affordable once built is a bigger challenge however.
2. A Housing Authority. No region, city or otherwise, in America that I'm aware of is adequately
addressing the need for affordable housing without a housing authority. They are simply a
required component of an effective governmental toolkit because they have access to funds no
one else does. A countywide, not a city Authority would be most appropriate locally.
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3. Council Briefings. The Report team is unfamiliar with the housing/homelessness prevention
programs of the Community Action Partnership of NW Montana (CAPNWMT). That is surprising
since the Mayor, Council and staff are annually provided a copy of its Annual Report and gets
annual updates through its Community Development Community Needs Assessment public
hearing process. I'm certain more information sharing occurs at HIRE, Public Health, United
Way, etc. meetings.
4. CDBG Entitlement Status. The City does not need to be an entitlement city to explore greater
interagency cooperation and collaboration with the County and Columbia Falls and Whitefish
when it comes to any type of affordable housing strategy. By all observations there is a general
lack of interagency/governmental cooperation requiring no increase in FTEs. I would suggest
the Task Force and/or Council seriously study the best practices found by the US Interagency
Council on Homelessness or the National Alliance to End Homelessness or the National
Coalition for the Homeless (G).
5. Rent Control. Really? There are only 182 cities in the entire US that have rent control and they
are all the largest cities in the nation — all larger than Montana. There are also 37 states that
prohibit it. Rent regulation, like we've seen during COVID-19, is however an increasing issue for
many local governments. Especially when apartments are converted to condos (which Kalispell
could not stop), when landlords increase rents/profits faster than wage growth (which Kalispell
could not stop), when fire/disasters destroy affordable housing and owners rebuild at market
rate (which Kalispell could not stop), etc. I've been a property owner/manager of affordable
housing units in Olympia, Eugene, Spokane and Kalispell for 35 years — and I've been active in
landlord associations — and I've seen it all. When government abrogates its moral responsibility
to temper the market place innocent people can (and do) get screwed (figuratively and
literally).
6. Inclusionary Zoning. While this section demonizes this historically very successful model, it
seemingly likes YIMBY discussed just above (even though these are inclusionary strategies).
Citing Whitefish as justification is wasteful as they're just putting a toe in the water. Here are
some other cities to study (D) — if you read far enough I'll note that I worked alongside Jimmy
and Roslyn Carter in the Habitat blitz build in Scott County. For public/political bodies unable or
unwilling to make direct financial investments in affordable housing, a good, comprehensive
inclusionary zoning strategy brings the greatest bang for the buck.
7. Rent Subsidies. Guess what ... someone must pay! Kalispell says NO! The State says NO! So just
who is going to capitalize these ongoing and often permanent subsidizes? The author's don't
even research Texas (Q. A very quick Google search shows various Texas Housing Authorities
(which the authors don't like), HUD funded programs, etc. but I can't find some `silver bullet'
financial windfall to fund rent subsidies — at least in Texas.
8. Private -Public Partnership. The author(s) spent hours researching "failed" efforts across the
country, but then cannot provide a single example of where their recommended "community
partnerships" are flourishing? How odd!
like and wholly support the idea and yes there are many useful examples to cite but where is
the political and financial will in this community to have wealthy individuals and foundations or
corporations (like big employers) step up and invest? They can't even do it for Whitefish
Mountain Resort!! Had the authors done a bit more networking the Habitat for Humanity
model might have emerged which is excellent as regards homeownership.
8. Homelessness.
1. Causal Factors. Unfortunately the Report is grossly inadequate in terms of identifying the
unique local causal factors for homelessness. Of course none can be directly attributed to the
City or even the community of Kalispell unless fire or some type of disaster destroys an SRO or
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related affordable housing project. Though grossly inadequate in design and implementation,
even the PIT shows that the largest majority of homeless persons have a disability and if you dig
deeper you'll see that nearly 100 percent of all homeless persons have experienced some type
of traumatic life e vent (divorce, domestic violence, job loss and of course mental illness which
impacts Vets extremely highly). (1) Successful community -based strategies must address each
and every underlying condition in a comprehensive fashion and across all sectors of society
(business, education, faith -based organizations, government, human service providers, etc.).
2. Service Coordination. Like every aspect of organizational life, including municipal government —
especially in the Flathead — coordination can be a challenge and not always because
"competition" for funding is a real but often simply because different governmental, foundation
and corporation funding has very different rules and regulations that frustrate effective
cooperation and often prohibit collaboration. Communication however does happen through
HIRE and other venues. Though quite frankly the former leadership at United Way made that
nearly impossible. Recommending a professional membership organization that largely
lobbying public officials seems like an odd and unuseful model for increased service
coordination.
The inclusion of references to homeless conditions, plans or funding in Seattle (A) seems purely
political and almost unworthy of comment. I spent year's following policy, program and funding
efforts in Seattle, Portland, Eugene, Tacoma and other west coast cities during my time in
Spokane and it's an extremely complicated and frustrating reality. In the movie Field of Dreams
there is a line..."if you build it they will come." That is certainly true for homeless prevention,
emergency or general services. It was true in Spokane and is likely true in Kalispell or any
regional hub that offers services as well as opportunity (like job training, employment, etc.). It
could be interpreted that the Task Force is suggesting making homelessness "illegal" and
outlawing anyone without a permanent address from its public streets, parks, facilities, etc.
Could that then extend to any regional entity the City is in partnership with like the Library, etc.
This is a very unappealing avenue, inhumane and thankfully illegal path to take (just ask Boise
(13)).
3. CAPNWMT. Repeatedly CAPNWMT is referenced or cited and most often in negative terms. Yet
if the City truly wants to know and learn about Section 8 rent assistance OR how managing low
income apartments can be affordable (if you're a nonprofit and own/operate over 150 units)
OR about their nationally certified financial education/first time homebuyer education classes
endorsed by the National Financial Educators Council and the Montana Financial Education
Coalition (E) OR you'll need to actually sit down and understand the comprehensive approach
CAPNWMT takes and how they disproportionately serve the Kalispell community.
As you'll learn from talking with CAPNWMT staff, Section 8 is a long established federal housing
program with very strict rules and regulations for which not even the State of Montana can
mess with.
4. Shelters. While I've already addressed the pros -cons of having or expanding homeless services
including shelters, I would never turn to the U.S. Council of Economic Advisors to find "facts"
about the causal factors of homelessness in America or even Kalispell. The term "eradicate" is
an interesting and I believe very telling choice of words. It's generally understood to mean;
"eliminate", "quash", "extinguish", "kill", "finish off", "stamp out", erase" or my personal
favorite "extinguish", etc. WOW... REALLY! ! ! !
9. Gaps/Recommendations.
1. Stakeholder Briefings. In the 7 years I've lived in the Flathead I've never known any local service
provider not willing, when asked, to appear before anybody (public or private) and talk about
the challenges of reducing homelessness (since you'll never eliminate it).
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2. CAPNWMT. The City should "consider representation on the CAP Board." Now -this in addition
to eradicating homelessness in Kalispell is perhaps what's really driving this Report. Again, great
to be so refreshing and straightforward in your blatant attempt to damage the reputation of
one of the region's most successful social service providers. What's this fixation (or vendetta)
against CAPNWMT?
As the Reports author's well know, CAPNWMT is a private, nonprofit like almost all other
human service agencies. CAPNWMT was established under federal authorization and serves
four counties, well beyond the interest of the City. Like all other nonprofits its Board meetings
are open to the public and anyone at or within the City can be placed on its mail list. Its website
(https://www.ca pn m. net/ ) contains under "About Us" a ton of Board and agency program
(annual reports, needs assessments, affordable housing info, etc.) and financial information
(audits, tax returns, etc.).
So ... clearly there is an unstated yet clear motive underlying this proposed action
recommendation. This item alone undermines the validity of the purpose and findings of the
Report — so sad!
3. Financial Education. NeighborWorks is a leading national housing technical assistance provider
and an over 40-year-old Congressionally -chartered nonprofit dedicated to creating places of
opportunity in communities across America. In Montana, NeighborWorks Montana administers
national grants to support local homebuyer education and counseling and financial education
and counseling. In Kalispell and the Flathead CAPNWMT (F) has been contracted to deliver
those trainings along with 14 other regional service providers. These trainings, while supported
by many real estate and mortgage businesses, generally lack broad exposure to scale up.
4. #10 should have logically been the focus on this Report since its unstated objective is to
"eradicate" them from Kalispell. Leaning a little about why they or the system is inadequate or
even failing might have been insightful.
5. Once again I challenge the bias behind this work. "Cognitive dissonance"? Somehow these few
stakeholders are seeing such inconsistencies in agency thoughts, beliefs and attitudes that they
fear increased shame or guilt among Kalispell's homeless population. Curious use of term to
encourage cooperation.
6. Low Barrier Shelter. Nearly every city I've lived in over the past 30 years has had one or more
such shelters. I've volunteered at many and with proper training and supervision they can be
safe for all.
7. Allow me to add several new recommendations;
(i). The City Council vote to join the National Poor Peoples Campaign (started by the late Rev.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in 1967) (H) and call upon all its residents to actively support the
Campaign's Principles and Demands because the cause of homelessness is directly intertwined
with the travesty of poverty in America and in Kalispell. People are poor and some are homeless
for a large number of reasons that too few units of governments have ever taken the time to
explore —including this Report. Its long time for government to only talk about poverty and
standup and begin addressing it.
(ii). Regulatory Reform. Alone, or in partnership with Whitefish and/or Columbia Falls and/or
Flathead County, hire a consulting firm to conduct a comprehensive assessment of all municipal
policies, rules, regulations, fines/fees, etc. to determine where impediments lie and then where
reforms can be made to prevent homelessness and expand affordable housing.
(iii). Matched Savings or Individual Development Accounts. Likely the best way to increase
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individual assets is through 'forced' savings. IDA accounts are typically structured on a 3:1 basis
where a participant saves $1 and is rewarded by getting a $3 match (generally for education,
housing or start a business). IDA rules need to be broadened to include a wider range of
individual/family needs —now being promoted as Promise Accounts. State/local governments
need to champion and invest in these kinds of long-term asset building measures.
(iv). Expand Rapid Rehousing Programs. Generally ashort-term rental assistance program to
quickly transition someone into new hopefully permanent affordable housing. Funding and an
overall lack of affordable housing units are challenges in terms of program expansion.
(v). Expand/Modify Eviction Prevention Programs, like: Tenant Based Rental Assistance (which
is commonly a federally funded program), Landlord Mitigation Programs (that can assist in
covering pre and post -move in expenses (like lost rent, damages, needed upgrades) for
landlords housing rent subsidizes tenants) or Tenancy Preservation Programs (that prevent
homelessness by providing relief to low-income tenants facing eviction for non-payment of
rent). Since most of these programs are government funded they typically have overly rigid
rules devoid of local flexibility. Therefore state/local dollars are needed to fill gap in
program/participant eligibility.
(vi). Generate Local Revenue. Many state and local governments have adopted a wide variety of
tax and fee revenue generating measures to increase funding for homelessness
prevention/intervention strategies: like on document recordings, property transfers, real estate
excise taxes, etc. (J).
(vii). Permanent Supportive Housing/Housing First models. Many studies estimate that upwards
of 25% of the entire homeless population are chronically homeless in need of long-term
solutions like permanent supportive housing. This approach basically pairs a housing subsidy
with case management and supportive services and can substantially reduce public costs
associated with crisis services like shelters, hospitals, jails and prisons. Added state/local
resources should allow for greater program flexibility from federal funding.
(viii). Interfaith Engagement. A quick observation of the ecumenical and interfaith work in the
Flathead suggests minimal civic engagement on human needs (especially now that Neighbors in
Need is dormant). For instance, locally there appear to be no members of the national
networks Christian Community Development Association and Christian Community Health
Fellowship, two of the largest and most active faith -based community engagement
organizations in America (K). Besides Ray of Hope and Christ Church Episcopal too many houses of
worship have space, volunteers, skilled professionals, financial resources, etc. that are underutilized -
everything secular agencies need to succeed ... if they are mobilized and engaged.
honestly wish you the best of luck in sharing this Report and its findings and conclusions very broadly across
the Flathead's networks (business, educational, philanthropic, political, etc.). I just wish it had been more
neutral, focused, better organized, and better written. Hearing the multiple reactions from across the County
should be interesting.... IF you are at all serious or even interested in supporting regional human service
providers actually tackle the tough challenges of reducing homelessness.
lei
Sincerely,
Pat COi.7elpild Malone (MPA/MURP/PCED: ordained Deacon &Elder Presbyterian Church USA
Principal Author "Affordable Housing: Locol Government Regulatory and Administrative Techniques" for
Governor Spellman, 1984. National Association of Realtors Award Winner.
Principal Author "Homelessness: Resource Materials for Organizing & Empowerment" for the Homeless
Empowerment Advisory Group of the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, 1990.
Principal Author "Justice & Compassion Ministries: A Survey of Christian Responses to Hunger,
Homelessness and Joblessness in Chicago" for the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless, 1990.
Principal Author "Homelessness: Resource Manual for Operating Church -Based Emergency Shelters" for
Central Presbyterian Church, 1991.
Principal Author "Church -Based Housing Programs: Volumes 1 & 11" for Community -Interfaith Organizing, 1994.
Co -Founder, Jubilee Community and Housing Ministries (Eugene & Spokane, 1991-2008)
Former Co -Founder, Lane County Interfaith Hospitality Network (1991-1995)
Former Co -Founder, Spokane County Interfaith Hospitality Network (1994-)
Former Outreach Minister, Spokane First Presbyterian Church (1994-1999)
Former Co -Founder, Shalom Ministries Spokane (homeless & empowerment programs, 1994-)
Former ED, Our Place Community Ministries Spokane (food/clothing bank, 1994-1996)
Former Member/Officer, City of Spokane Human Resource Advisory Committee (1995-1999)
References and Citations:
1. Pathways Home: Seattle Homeless Investment Plan by Barbara Poppe & Associates, 2016.
https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/pathwayshome/BPA.pdf and
https://www.seattle.gov/Documents/Departments/pathwayshome/ActionPlan.pdf.
2. Boise's Fight over Homelessness. https://www.npr.org/2019/12/13/787861253/how-boises-fight-over-homelessness-is-
rippling-across-the-west-coast.
3. Affordable Housing in Texas. https://affordablehousingonline.com/housing-search/Texas.
4. Inclusionary Zoning and Affordable Housing. https://vplc.org/inclusionary-zoning-an-important-avenue-to-more-affordable-
housin . https://www.urban.org/urban-wire/how-communities-are-rethinking-zoning-improve-housing-affordability-and-
access-opportunity. https://www. bloom berg.com/news/articles/2016-06-01/how-to-make-inclusionary-zoning-more-
inclusionary. https://www. bloom berg.com/news/articles/2018-07-17/inclusionary-zoning-everything-you-need-to-know.
https://www.locaIhousingsolutions.org/act/housing-policy-library/inclusionary-zoning-overview/inclusionary-zoning/.
https://www.tennessean.com/story/opinion/2019/12/30/inclusionary-zoning-could-help-tennessee-affordable-
housi ng/2639151001/.
5. Best Practices in Financial Literacy and Education. https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/Best-Practices-for-Financial-
Literacy-and-Education-at-Institutions-of-Higher-Education2019.pdf. https://financiallit.org/wordpress/resources/national-
standards/financial-literacy-best-practices/. http://www.mtmfec.or/.
6. CAPNWMT. https://www.capnm.net/community-partners.
https://www. needhelppayingbiIIs.com/html/montana community action agenc.html.
https://www.shelterl isti ngs.org/cou my/mt-f lath ead-cou nty. htm I.
7. Best Practices on Interagency Cooperation. https://www.usich.gov/.
https://www. northwestgeorgianews.com/rome/news/local/agencies-continue-to-work-toward-combating-homelessness-
in-floyd-county/article 7d4f314c-b7e4-1lea -8d2e-57dd3c3d42d4.htm1. https://nationalhomeless.org/.
https://www.usich.gov/resources/uploads/asset libra ry/Evidence-Behind-Approaches-That-End-Homelessness-Brief-
2019.pdf.
8. Poor Peoples Campaign. https://www.poorpeoplescampaign.org/.
9. Common Causal Factors of Homelessness. https://www.homeaid.org/news/news-detail/top-causes-of-homelessness-in-
america. https://nlchp.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Homeless Stats Fact Sheet.pdf.
http://homelessresourcenetwork.org/?page id=1086.
10. Generate Local Revenues.
https://ofm.wa.gov/sites/default/files/public/legacy/reports/2016%2OHomeless%2OHousing%20and%2OAssistance%2OPro
gram%20Report.pdf.
11. Interfaith Engagement. https://ccda.org/. https://www.cchf.org/. https://www.faith-oustice.org/ending-homelessness-
what-successful-communities-do-differently/. https://www.interfaithservices.org/housing-2019-blo /.
https://www.alignmpls.org/. https://www.christclinic.org/. https://pathwaytohealth.org/.
http://www.worldvisionusprograms.org/us poverty myths.php.
Pat Copeland Malone
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere" "True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of
justice". Rev. Dr. MLK Jr.
"... On Earth as it is in Heaven " Ma tth e w 6:10