Letters to the editor Feb. 13

Hobo tourism

If you build it they will come. The homeless business is alive and well in Kalispell with the increase of transients invading the parks leaving their trash everywhere and harassing people outside of Albertsons. I counted nine in front of the store on Martin Luther King Day, another seven walking there and four more on the trail and seven at the gazebo in Depot Park.

Thank you, county commissioners, you’re doing a good job. A bus ticket is more merciful than paying for a homeless shelter. Helping others is one thing, but enabling hobo tourism is another.

— Russ Gerard, Kalispell

Short-sighted attitude

I am appalled by the letter written by members of the county commission. Not only are Pam Holmquist, Brad Abell and Randy Brodehl grossly mistaken about the cause of the increase of homelessness in this valley, Whitefish Police Chief Bridger Kelch needs to stop spreading misinformation.

For those unaware, the cost of living for this valley, which dramatically impacts those on our margins, has increased significantly since the start of the pandemic.

Also, if you are not aware, the most significant cause is the dramatic increase in rent in this valley, driven by the dramatic increase in short-term rentals, of which our elected officials were not adequately educated.

As was stated in the Aug. 22, 2022 Daily Inter Lake article “Kalispell Council looks at plan for workforce housing funding,” the vacancy rate is below 2%, and the price has increased by double-digit percentages.

Having worked in organizations with the marginalized members of our society, I know most in this category are one paycheck away from homelessness. Though wages in some areas have seen increases, they have not increased at the pace of the cost of living in this valley. Currently, a single person’s cost of living is $16.27 per hour. This figure does not account for the ability to save for those unexpected and costly events in life.

So, Ms. Holmquist, Mr. Abell, Mr. Brodehl and Chief Kelch, maybe you should investigate the cause of the apparent increase in homelessness in this valley instead of spouting your biased opinions as facts. It takes minuscule investigation to identify the cause of this increase.

Short-sighted attitudes like those in your letter vilify a population that needs our compassion. This is not an easy-fix problem. It has never been.

— Jon Hewitt, Kalispell