Tonya Horn

Flathead County commissioners have penned an open letter asking city councils in the area to reject the empowerment of "the homeless lifestyle," and to deny permits to build or expand homeless shelters. Advocates for homeless people are pushing back.

The Flathead Warming Center in Kalispell is set to open its doors next week for its second season after an extensive remodel. The shelter expects a busy winter season due in part to the Flathead Valley’s housing crisis.

Community leaders across the state are preparing for more people who might need access to a homeless shelter this year. The state’s moratorium on evictions amid the pandemic expires this month and shelters in Montana have already seen greater demand from years of cost of living increases in the state.