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Unhoused Public Comment from Chloe SilvaChloe Silva 157A Jewel Basin Court Bigfork, MT 59911 (406) 270-0272 silvach44 a�sd5.k12.mt.us 25 October 2023 City Council 201 First Avenue East Kalispell, MT 59901 Dear City Council of Kalispell, It is clear that the unhoused issue in the Flathead Valley is a very serious problem and needs to be addressed because of the data surrounding the issue, the way they are treated, and the lack of help and solutions we are giving them. An old friend of mine was once unhoused for six months with her mother because of the rising rent rates and a lack of empathy for her and her mother's situation. She was around 10-12 years old then and the fact that a child and her struggling mother had to go unhoused for months is truly upsetting. This is just one isolated story among dozens and those stories are adding up as housing becomes harder and harder to obtain and maintain in our valley. In exploring data and numbers around this issue, it can be difficult to find exactly how many unhoused people live in Kalispell, but we do have some national data from a 2015 - 2022 collection on the different types of unhoused groups and how their populations are increasing. Below is a graph showing the extent of the changes occurring within each unhoused subgroup from data collected from the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. Subgroup Population Shifts Since 2015 Subgroup America, Black, A Native H spani n Indian Asian or trican A Hawaiia Multi Overall Female Male Transg.. c/Lat(n Alaska AslanA mericannorOth White Racial o Natl., merican or.. er Pac.. .. .................. . 250% 200% 10 0 N C 150% N pd� C A V 100% C O N c 50% o M 0% M C` �D g N 1 AL-0 1 6- Legend Population Shift Unsheltered Population Shift Expand or Narrow View (All) ❑./ Overall Population Household Type Q✓ Race/Ethnicity ❑./ Gender Soecial Populations Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Develoument, 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress (A.HAR). This shows us that the numbers of unhoused people in the country are increasing especially in groups such as people who are transgender, Indigenous people, and Native Hawiians or Pacific Islanders. While the graph covers the data collected throughout the U.S, there are locals here in Montana that have started to notice the increase as well. "Two years ago, I could have told you every unsheltered person on the street;' Patrick O'Neill of Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana said. "But we're talking about 100-plus people that are now on the street, according to our Point -in -Time survey." O'Neill is referencing a survey that works to count any people who are unhoused on a given night in the valley and then talking about the changes in numbers over time. This shows us that not only are graphs and data and tables picking up on the increasing unhoused population, but locals to Montana are also seeing this increase and are concerned as well. While researching this topic, I came across an article written a little over three months ago about an unhoused man that was beaten unconscious by a teenager and left for dead (Dresser). This is only one example of the countless instances of the unhoused being treated with hatred, cruelty, and as if they aren't real human beings. In an interview I held with the Heart Locker's teen representative, Janelle Willett, she spoke about some of the incidents she has witnessed regarding how the unhoused are treated. One story she shared was about an elderly woman who was seeking a place to stay in the courtyard outside of Janelle's church, but instead of safety she had eggs and tomatoes thrown at her everyday by local teenagers until she was forced to leave. This shows that people that are unhoused are often not treated or seen even as humans. Instead, there is a biased belief built into us all from a young age that the unhoused are dangerous people that you should avoid at all costs, when in the majority of cases that's simply not true and we let our perception impact the way we treat the unhoused when they are simply people just like you and me dealt an unfair hand in life. But the locals aren't the only ones treating the unhoused poorly, "In the letter [written January 21, 2023], the elected officials wrote that service providers were enabling the homeless community and causing a growth in homelessness;' wrote Maggie Dresser, a writer for the Flathead Beacon. "They also wrote that unhoused people are part of a "progressive networked community who have made the decision to reject help and live unmoored'"' This is a direct quote from an open letter written by Flathead County Commissioners Pam Holmquist, Randy Brodehl and Brad Abell, entitled "Stop Enabling Homeless Population:' It goes to show that there are people all over the Flathead Valley, young and old, powerful and the working class, that view the unhoused as a dangerous or devious community, treating the unhoused with the utmost disrespect and would rather blame the issue on the ones affected instead of the systems making housing so unaffordable and difficult to maintain. While these stories and this data are sobering, they do not have to be where we stay as a city and county. I believe there are steps that can be taken in the Valley that will help the unhoused and possibly even offer a temporary shelter that provides safety and stability so the unhoused have an opportunity to get back on their feet so to speak. One of these solutions comes in the form of a resource we have already, the Warming Center. The Flathead Warming Center is a volunteer -driven mission. Their goal is to provide a warm, safe, low barrier facility (The Warming Center). But the problem lies in the amount of space they have. As of August, 2023, the Warming Center only has about 40 available beds for people in need or to put it simply, there isn't nearly enough space. This is where you can come in! They are a donation based organization and with financial support from the City Council I believe they will not only be able to provide more beds, but expand and allow more space so more people are able to get the help they need. Janelle Willett also offered up her own opinion on ways the City Council could help the unhoused. Resources such as a tiny house village, housing sections/land for an attainable rent rate, better help/resources for unhoused people struggling with substance and mental health issues, or even a designated person hired to help with all the paperwork for the different mutual aids or housing applications. There are things we as a community, as a city, or even as a state can do to help the unhoused. I think it would be best for the City Council to start with either the help with the paperwork and financial aid or help places like the Warming Center acquire more room, beds, and supplies. These are just a few options for small steps we can take to help combat the rising unhoused numbers that I found while writing this paper, but I'm sure with the right resources and support we can find even more. It is very clear to me that the unhoused issue in the Flathead Valley is a very serious problem and needs to be addressed and there are steps and actions we can take to help this issue. Given the data of the unhoused throughout the country, the ways they are treated unfairly, and the steps we can and should take to help fight this issue I hope to have opened your eyes, if only a little, to the issues concerning the unhoused. This is a task for all of us as human beings who live in the Flathead Valley, and I ask that you as leaders in our community take the steps in order to help those in need, those who are suffering, and those who want to see a better future before it becomes too late and our help will no longer be enough. Sincerely, Chloe Silva Linderman Education Center Student Resources: Dresser, Maggie. "In the Flathead Valley, the Homeless Crisis Is at a Crossroads - Flathead Beacon." Flathead Beacon, https://www.facebook.com/Flathead Beacon, 3 Aug. 2023, https:Hflatheadbeacon.com/2023/08/03/in-the-flathead-valley-the-hom eless-crisis-is-at-a-crossroads/#:':text=According%20to%20the%20MT %20Continuum,times%20the%20population%20of%20Kalispell. "State of Homelessness: 2023 Edition - Endhomelessness.Org." National Alliance to End Homelessness, https://endhomelessness.org/homelessness-in-america/homelessness- statistics/state-of-homelessness/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. "The Warming Center." The Warming Center, https://flatheadwarmingcenter.org/. Accessed 25 Oct. 2023. Willett, Janelle. Personal interview. 17 October 2023.