Flathead Warming Center from Mallory PhillipsJudi Funk
From: mallory phillips <phillips.malloryanne@gmail.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 4:36 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: EXTERNAL Flathead Warming Center
Attachments: Flathead Warming Center.docx
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
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Dear Kalispell Mayor and City Council,
I just finished writing a letter in support of more housing, and thought it was appropriate
that I pivot to the other side of the coin when someone is unable to, for whatever reason, get into
safe, stable and affordable housing. I am writing urging that the Kalispell City Council NOT
revoke the Flathead Warming Center permit, and instead spend time and energy collaborating
with the many different organizations working to SOLVE the housing crisis, mental health and
substance use crisis. Revoking the Flathead Warming Center's permit may placate the neighbors
for a short time, win some political favor, but in the end this will harm our Valley as a whole.
When I was a practicum student at a local mental health center I saw the important role in
which the Flathead Warming Center played for individuals in our community who experienced
mental health struggles. We were able to send someone from our center to the Warming Center
and connect with those experiencing homelessness and help them access important resources
such as mental health care, health care, dental care, housing and more. The Flathead Warming
Center is a PIVOTAL player in helping people get the help they need and get back into housing.
In fact the Kalispell City Council should be lifting up the work that the Warming Center
is doing to get people back into housing. People experiencing homelessness are not a monolith,
and the culmination of an insane rise in housing costs, a defunding of mental health care, a loss
of addiction services, and more are foundational to why we see a rise in numbers of people
experiencing a housing crisis.
When we blame the people and organizations that are working collaboratively with
individuals and organizations across the Flathead to come up with actionable solutions, we
undermine the very work they are doing. We are not the first area to see rising homelessness,
and the demonization of homelessness allows people to separate themselves from the very issues
that need to and can be solved. The Council should instead lobby their state and federal
representatives to push for policies that increase housing supply, increase access to mental health
and addiction services in the Flathead Valley!
Stand up for SOLUTIONS and say NO to revoking the Flathead Warming Center's
permit.
Sincerely,
Mallory Phillips,
Whitefish