City Desk
- Details
- Category: City Desk
Click on the image above for the audio.
PNS - Tuesday, April 9, 2024 - Maine votes in support of a national popular vote, Nebraska rejects a "winner take all" system for Electoral College votes and former President Trump says abortion rights should be left to the states.
- Details
- Category: City Desk
Click on the image above for the audio.
PNS - Tuesday, April 9, 2024 - Offshore wind does more than aid NY, NJ clean energy futures; Vatican says surrogacy and gender theory are 'grave threats' to human dignity; Study: 14 million U.S. freight trucks vulnerable to hackers; Lawsuit over Endangered Species Act follows outrage at wolf torture photo.
- Details
- Category: City Desk
By Mark Moran - Producer-Editor, Contact - News
Big Sky Connection - Montana's homeless population is rising more quickly than any other state in the country. Advocates say it has reached a crisis point and shelters are having to turn people away. One shelter in Kalispell is asking for funding to double its size, making it able to serve twice as many people—comments from Chris Krager (CRAY-gur), executive director, Samaritan House.
Click on the image above for the audio. Montana's homelessness problem is a combination of unprecedented growth, mental health problems and higher housing costs, according to groups working to shelter more people. (2023 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report)
Mark Moran
April 8, 2024 - A new report shows Montana has the nation's most rapidly rising homeless population. Advocates for more affordable housing call the situation critical.
One Kalispell-based shelter is asking for state funding to expand, and do what it can to help.
The most recent Annual Homelessness Assessment Report shows Montana saw a 551% increase in its unsheltered population, the steepest rise in the country between 2007 and 2023.
Kalispell-based Samaritan House Executive Director Chris Krager said he feels the pinch every night.
"I like to think we can handle it," said Krager. "We're trying to address it. Samaritan House, we see between 95 and 105 people every night."
That's capacity for Samaritan House, which Krager said has been full every night for a decade - and often has to help people find other options.
He has asked for state funds to expand the facility, which would double its occupancy.
In addition to building single and multi-family housing, Samaritan House also plans to create housing for veterans.
Krager said they often experience mental health issues along with homelessness. The report shows Montana was one of only four states with an increase in homeless veterans.
"Kalispell is the largest city in Montana with no dedicated homeless veteran housing," said Krager. "So, we're going to fix that. The reason this is serious is because the nature of homelessness in Montana - certain times of the year, it could be fatal. So, we want to really be on our game, especially if it's cold out."
More than 30% of people in Montana's homeless shelters reported a mental health and/or substance use disorder in 2022. The report shows in some shelters, that number is nearly two-thirds.
| Best Practices |
- Details
- Category: City Desk
Click on the image above for the audio.
PNS - Monday, April 8, 2024 - ND lawmaker: Racist taunts in HS sports need to stop; Alabama advocacy groups sue to block restrictive new voting law; Maryland students to study eclipse's effect on atmosphere.
