Flathead Warming Center Letter to City CouncilIf1i
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Flathead Warming Center
Board of Directors
889 N Meridian Rd
Kalispell, MT 59901
January 30, 2023
Dear Members of the City Council,
Thank you for hearing the community's concerns about what has taken place in the
Depot Park gazebo. As the Board of the Flathead Warming Center (FWC), we agree
that the behavior in and around the gazebo is unacceptable and needs to stop.
As you know, homelessness is one of the most severe challenges facing the Flathead
right now for a multitude of reasons. Our local housing market has skyrocketed forcing
rental rates higher than the average wage earner can afford. The Flathead has lost
lower cost rentals including the Blue and White Motel and the Outlaw Inn which housed
many disabled veterans, elderly and marginalized individuals. Furthermore, mental
health resources have been cut. At the FWC, we see this impact very clearly as 70% of
our guests self -report having a severe and disabling condition, including mental
illnesses such as schizophrenia with paranoia and delusions. These circumstances
have placed additional burdens on our community resources including law enforcement,
hospital emergency rooms, shelters, food banks and even the jail.
The FWC was founded as a response to the growing homeless population by people
who could no longer stand by and watch their struggling neighbors sleep outside during
the cold Montana winters. Our mission is to save lives, link resources, and encourage
dignity through low -barrier access to a warm, safe place for those in need. In short, the
FWC is NOT expanding homelessness. The FWC exists to be part of the solution.
How do we do this? We help our neighbors without shelter get the tools and resources
they need to move beyond homelessness. We hold these neighbors accountable for
their behavior and we enforce consequences when they do not adhere to our behavior
standards. We intentionally do not provide plush accommodations - we are a remodeled
garage with thin plastic mattresses on bunk beds in a bunk room - but we do offer
kindness, compassion, and practical resources to better each individual's situation.
When we bring people inside to warmth and safety, we are all safer. When we have 50
people sleeping inside the shelter each night, there are 50 fewer people sleeping
outside in locations such as Depot Park. These same people have access to community
resources to help them find jobs, access health care, and navigate life.
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Thank you, City Council Members, for taking the time to deeply understand the issues
related to homelessness and quality of life in the Flathead. And thank you for the many
actions you have taken to support these causes, including your sponsorship of the
Co -responder program, your commitment to building multi -unit affordable housing and
your past support of the Flathead Warming Center.
We realize that our respective efforts cannot solve homelessness alone. A challenge of
this magnitude will require an unprecedented level of collaboration to find long-lasting
solutions. We reiterate our commitment to working with the City Council, all branches of
government, faith -based organizations, nonprofits, social services, and first responders
to address this complex and challenging issue. Together we will find solutions that will
allow us to keep the Flathead streets and parks clean and safe while also helping our
neighbors who need mental health and housing support.
Sincerely,
The Flathead Warming Center Board of Directors
Heffernan, Luke (Chairman)
Andrews, Darrin (Vice -Chairman)
Barrile, Haley (Treasurer)
Emmert, Jane (Secretary)
Betschart, Jerie
Johnson, Bethany
Nasset, Roger
Scogin, Jeffrey
Snipstead, Steve
Willis, Shirley