May 13 Workshop Public Comment from Northwest Montana Association of Realtors[NOTICE: This message includes an attachment -- DO NOT CLICK on links or open attachments unless you know the content is safe.]
Good Evening,
Realtors have been finding ‘home’ for people for over a hundred years and will continue this work into the future. We recognize that there are a variety of factors that contribute to
a person or family being home-less and that temporary shelter is needed until a place to call ‘home’ is established again. The Warming Center has provided that interim shelter to many
and it is a necessary component to our community, coming to fruition after a homeless person froze to death in their car. Cutting the Warming Center’s hours of operation only increases
the homeless’s presence on the streets of Kalispell as they have no where to go in the Center’s “off” hours. Cutting the Warming Shelter’s length of operation increases the number
of homeless on the street during the nighttime hours and exponentially raises the odds of tragedy. What is needed in Kalispell is a place for the displaced to go when the Warming Center
has everyone leave for the day. A day center with mental health, addiction and job-seeker services, laundry and showers, childcare and food. We recognize that this is not inexpensive
or easy.
However, I would like to refer the Council to some success stories from other cities in the US. https://www.governing.com/housing/how-houston-cut-its-homeless-population-by-nearly-two-thirds
<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.governing.com%2Fhousing%2Fhow-houston-cut-its-homeless-population-by-nearly-two-thirds&data=05%7C02%7Cabrunckhorst%40kalispell.
com%7C2a2e5321db294ba16e2008dc73a1d8cb%7C6219d736f71146359cbaff616a81b398%7C1%7C0%7C638512386190085982%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7
C%7C%7C&sdata=qMpvOa%2BKowOiqRc7lCWE6GxxRDw18ygk4hyhAcqD0q4%3D&reserved=0> This article (2023) indicates that if Federal, State, County and Municipal governments work together to solve
the problem, then it is possible to see a significant reduction in homelessness. It has been documented that Houston has housed 12,000 people in 12 years-a thousand people of year
have gotten off the streets and into a place to call home. It can be done!
Our County Commissioner’s tout themselves as being ‘fiscally responsible and conservative”, as does this Council. However, as reported in the above-noted article, a homeless person
can cost governments up to $96,000 per year with police, hospital, and other associated services. A person in ‘wrap-around care’ in government housing costs $18,000 per year. It makes
much more sense to house people than turn them out on the street.
Thank you for your kind consideration of the multitude of comments I’m sure you will get tonight but we hope that compassion coupled with sound fiscal policy will guide your decision.
Erica Wirtala
Public Affairs Director
Northwest Montana Association of REALTORS®
110 Cooperative Way | Kalispell, MT 59901
Email: ericaw@nmar.com <mailto:ericaw@nmar.com> Office: (406) 752-4313