As a leader I feel compelled to speak out on this issue. We’ve only lived here in The Flathead Valley for a little over one year. However, with our community involvement, we’ve seen the homeless issue here in Kalispell, Montana grow and become a major local issue. It’s an issue that is not going away. Something needs to be done.
Note: The info I share is not definitive or exhaustive, but is used to provide a snapshot of what other cities with large numbers of homeless are doing spending...
They illustrate a larger problem nationwide.
• Seattle general budget: the most recent revenue forecast paints a grim picture, estimating that Seattle will face an additional $82.3 million revenue shortfall on top of the $141 million general-fund deficit the city had already expected to face in its 2023-2024 budget. • Homeless population: 41K+ (est)
• Again, The city plans to spend more than $100 million each year through 2024 to address homelessness. • • Tacoma General Budget: Tacoma has a deficit of $23.7 million,
• Tacoma Homeless Budget: The City allocated $50 million to homeless services in the 2021-2025• • Homeless population: As of September 2025, there are an estimated 6,700 people in Pierce County experiencing homelessness.
• Spokane Homeless Budget: $500,000 will be provided to help the City fund current homelessness obligations. • • Homeless population: – A new report shows that Spokane's homeless population has grown by 13 percent over the past two years. The latest Point-in-Time count shows that more than 1,700 people live in shelters or on the street.
• Portland Homeless Budget: have voted to allocate $67 million of the city's budget to build a network of designated camping areas for homeless people, • Feeding them 3 meals per day. Can do drugs. • Homeless population: based on the federal government’s limited definition of homelessness, 5,228 people were counted as experiencing homelessness in Portland and Multnomah County as of of Jan 2025.
• San Francisco General Budget: The new budget forecast features a massive $728 million general fund deficit over the next two fiscal years, which will likely get much worse.
• SF/Homeless Budget: As part of the budget process, HSH (Homeless Services) will allocate $672 million in FY 2025-26 and $636 million in FY 2026-27. • Homeless population: San Francisco officials estimate as many as 20,000 people will experience homelessness at some point in the year 2025— • • Closer to home • • Missoula County: The county's plans also include $1.5 million to support other initiatives around housing and homelessness. • • I know Missoula had a 10-Year Plan to end homelessness (2015-2025). Their council noted, ‘that for federal money, we wouldn't have the successes we're seeing now. That's going to be the ongoing question, how to figure out how to keep this sustainable.” • Homeless population: (PIT) Missoula has 325 out of a population of about 75,000…
• Kalispell accounts for the second-highest number of unhoused Montanans out of any city, behind Missoula… • The Flathead's homeless count in 2025 saw an increase of 80 people over the previous Point-in-Time numbers. • Homeless population: (PIT) Kalispell has 319 out of a population of 26,000…
*figures from available public info as of late 2025. However, the real or actual numbers are difficult to verify for a variety of reasons.
Obviously, we are nowhere near the populations of these much larger, major cities I mentioned. But, the homeless situation could grow and develop on a smaller scale- unless action is taken. It won’t solve itself.
Keep in mind: There are only a limited amount of resources to spend and not go in debt.
We need to make some tough-love decisions, here in the Flathead Valley.
Where do we want to go with the homeless?
How much are we wanting to or willing to spend?
Will it make a difference, or will it just enable the problem ?
I’d love to hear your comments, and to encourage you to be part of the solution, not just part of the problem.
It’s easy to complain, but harder to come up with workable solutions.
Contact your City Council member and/or the county commissioners and share your views with them.
Thanks for tuning in.