Kalispell City Council to review panhandling ordinance

Kalispell City Council will discuss strengthening a local panhandling ordinance at its Monday work session as well as a recent report on the affordable housing crisis in the Flathead Valley.

The meeting starts at 7 p.m., Monday at City Hall, 201 First Ave. E. Members of the public also can attend via Zoom.

The discussion around the city’s panhandling rules comes amid a larger debate over Kalispell’s homeless population. At a previous meeting, Councilor Chad Graham expressed a desire to review and possibly beef up the municipality’s panhandling ordinance.

Current law prohibits people from panhandling within 20 feet of an intersection, on mass transit, at a bus stop or on private property. It also prohibits behaviors that could be considered aggressive, such as following, blocking or harassing while soliciting donations.

Councilors are expected to study ordinances enacted in Pasco County, Florida and Springville, Utah.

The Pasco County ordinance bans commercial use or physical interaction on roadways, as well as occupying a median. It holds both panhandlers and donating drivers criminally responsible, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

The Springville ordinance similarly prohibits the transfer of any property or money between a driver and pedestrian, unless the vehicle is legally parked.

THE COUNCIL also will be discussing a recent report analyzing the Flathead Valley’s affordable housing shortage, issued by the University of Montana’s Bureau of Business and Economic Research.

The authors of the report cite statistics indicating that in 2022 a household making the area median income could only afford half of the median house price, and that house prices in the Flathead have risen 231% in the last decade.

The report cites increasing demand and local opposition to housing development projects as fueling higher prices. It recommends increased development to expand housing stock, which the authors predict could have the effect of lowering prices and increasing availability.

The authors argue that the benefits of new market-rate housing developments would trickle down to lower-income households by freeing up older, less desirable units.

They cite a New York University working paper that showed that for every 10% increase in housing supply, nearby rents came down by around 1%.

The current market rate for a local 1-bedroom unit is $1,446 per month and $1,828 for a 2-bedroom unit, according to statistics compiled by Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana, a housing assistance nonprofit.

The authors argue that to stabilize costs the county must add around 1,500 units of housing per year for the next 10 years, more than the approximately 1,200 units built per year on average over the last three years.*

At the previous meeting, Councilor Jessica Dahlman stated her desire to reopen discussions on the city implementing a workforce housing program and utilizing tax increment financing to spur new development.

Reporter Adrian Knowler can be reached at 758-4407 or aknowler@dailyinterlake.com.

*This paragraph has been updated.