Officials from Flathead County’s three municipalities have confirmed interest in participating in a summit to discuss each city’s role in addressing the valley’s growing homelessness crisis.

Kalispell City Councilor Chad Graham first floated the idea of a meeting between all three municipalities at an Oct. 2 council meeting after he criticized Whitefish and Columbia Falls for not sharing in the responsibility of providing services for the homeless population. His plan received support from Mayor Mark Johnson and City Councilors Ryan Hunter and Sid Daoud. 

“First, I would like to get more feedback in terms of what that agenda discussion would be,” Kalispell City Manager Doug Russell told the Inter Lake in a recent interview regarding any sort of timeline for the meeting. “We’re looking at a very complex issue. That’s the nuts and bolts of it.” 

Whitefish City Manager Dana Smith confirmed the city is interested in all municipalities, and other sectors, coming together to discuss the issue, while Susan Nicosia, the city manager of Columbia Falls, also expressed interest in the idea. Nicosia was unsure if Johnson had spoken with Columbia Falls Mayor Donald Barnhart regarding a meeting yet. 

The impetus of the valley-wide meeting came about after Graham mentioned a voicemail from December in which Whitefish confirmed the transportation of homeless people to Kalispell for services. The voice message, from Smith, was in response to an original inquiry by Russell. 

"We're the only community in this valley creating opportunities and beds for the homeless community," Graham said during the Oct. 2 council meeting. "Kalispell is not a flophouse. And we're not a doormat to Whitefish."

According to Smith, Russell asked if unhoused individuals were being dropped off in Kalispell to receive services or just to get them out of Whitefish. Russell alluded to rumors that people were being dropped off at Kalispell gas stations.

Smith said such transports have only occurred a handful of times in order for people to access needed services, such as the warming shelter or the county Health Department.

“It's rare that we’re transporting them to Kalispell other than to get services,” Smith told the Inter Lake. “We are not just dropping people off in Kalispell, we are really trying to get them to where the services are.”

Smith described the scenario as rare, but law enforcement officers, if they are asked, will occasionally transport someone to services if they can’t get there through the bus system. Individuals are not transported to Kalispell just to be dropped off, she said. 

“Again, those are just rumors that go around. But you know, when you have three communities… I think we absolutely need to be able to understand the magnitude of our homeless population in the valley,” Smith said. 

Russell said that he was looking into two prevalent narratives about the increase of unhoused people in the area: that they are coming here to receive services or that they are coming here just to be here. 

“What you see in some of the population centers is the gravity of individuals looking for services. That's why it should come to no surprise that if there are services people end up staying here,” Russell said. 

Kalispell shelter services include the Samaritan House, A Ray of Hope, the Flathead Warming Center, the Flathead Youth Home, the Abbie Shelter and Sparrow’s Nest. Whitefish and Columbia Falls have none. 

There are other forms of services outside of Kalispell, but options are limited. Whitefish is home to the North Valley Food Bank and Soroptimist International of Whitefish while Columbia Falls also has a food bank.  

Many service providers and city employees recognize that municipalities need to do more to address the issue. 

LAST WINTER, Kalispell enacted a series of ordinances after the gazebo at Depot Park closed due to residents’ concerns about unhoused people using the shelter. Some of these measures included limiting the time someone could spend at a public park and banning the erection of structures as well as tamping down on roadside panhandling.  

Kalispell is the county seat, which is why there are more existing services within its city limits, such as the Sheriff’s Office and the Flathead City-County Health Department. However, for many service providers in the valley, the need for more services is essential to mitigate the issue. 

“We serve the whole Flathead, just as the Health Department serves all of the Flathead,” said Tonya Horn, the executive director of the Flathead Warming Center in Kalispell. “What would be most ideal, if it is causing a burden, is for everyone to work together.” 

Horn said that while there should be more services in other parts of the valley, the reality is that there needs to be more services everywhere for unhoused people. 

The Whitefish Community Library, which is next to the train and bus station, is not necessarily a service provider but often is tasked with assisting people to find services they need. 

“We, at the library, put together a little folder of things that are services for people,” said Whitefish library director Mary Drew Powers. “But when we look at them, most of them are in Kalispell.” 

Directing people to Kalispell when someone is in need of services, according to Powers, is logical.

“There are more services in Kalispell,” said Sophie Albert, executive director of the North Valley Food Bank in Whitefish. “There’s no shelter up here and I think there is just a higher need in the valley now overall.” 

FOR SERVICE providers, law enforcement and some cities, the issue will only be alleviated if multiple sectors begin coordinating. 

“I think people need to understand that this problem is very complex and it is going to take a group of stakeholders from nonprofits and forprofits … we need all stakeholders to come together to figure out solutions. We can't ignore it.” said Kalispell Police Chief Jordan Venezio.

Smith also said it was important to approach the subject with empathy, decency and an honest desire to address the root causes of the situation, citing a letter the Flathead County Commissioners released in January asking the community to stop aiding the “homeless lifestyle.” 

“We need to stop going back and blaming other jurisdictions or individuals for the problem. We need to move forward,” Smith said. 

There is currently no date set for a county-wide discussion regarding the issue. Many service providers and community members look forward to the possibility, however, because the valley needs to work together to target the issue, Horn said. 

In 2022, there were a total of 319 homeless people in Kalispell, the second-largest homeless population in the state after Missoula, according to a point in time survey mandated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for funding purposes. 

These results reveal a significant increase from the previous year, where Kalispell had 234 total homeless people in the city. 

Kalispell also accounted for 32% of all unsheltered individuals in Montana in 2022, the largest concentration in the state. Around a third of Kalispell’s homeless population reported typically sleeping on the streets, according to the survey, with the remainder in emergency shelter or transitional housing.

The city also had the most homeless people with disabilities and was slightly behind Missoula in the number of homeless veterans, the report said. 

Reporter Kate Heston can be reached at kheston@dailyinterlake.com or 758-4459.