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Public commenters urge Missoula to stop fining people experiencing homelessness and to prioritize shelter capacity
Summary
Several members of the public told council that closing shelters and issuing $50‑a‑day fines for camping harms unhoused residents and urged the city to expand shelter capacity or stop fining people who are surviving outdoors.
Multiple members of the public spoke during Aug. 4 public comment, urging the City of Missoula to change enforcement and shelter policies affecting people experiencing homelessness.
Sage Bennett, speaking “solely” for herself, told council the Johnson Street and Paparello shelters are essential and that closing shelters will force hundreds of people outdoors, where extreme heat or cold can be life‑threatening. Bennett criticized enforcement that results in fines and said, “At the very least, if you're not gonna put another shelter in place ... could you at least stop fining people $50 a day for trying to survive in our community?”
Bennett also said the $50 daily fines impose barriers to obtaining housing because they consume limited funds that would otherwise go toward rental application fees and other costs.
Commenter Kaye (identified on the record as “Big Kay / Kaye Montana”) described personal health impacts linked to community conditions and expressed alarm at what she characterized as threats from nearby individuals; her comments were a personal account rather than a policy proposal.
Savannah Geary (online) echoed the earlier remarks and asked the city to improve public‑facing materials, saying many agenda documents are dense and would benefit from plain‑language summaries so everyday residents can understand what the council is considering.
Nut graf: Public commenters asked the council to stop or reconsider enforcement practices that fine unhoused people for camping and to ensure shelter capacity is available before closures; they also requested clearer, plain‑language agenda materials so the public can engage directly with council business.
The comments were received during the public comment period; no formal council action occurred during the Aug. 4 meeting on enforcement policy or shelter funding.
