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02/23/2025
Helena’s emergency homeless plan went into effect during recent coldsnap
A few weeks ago, I reported on Helena’s oddly warm winter weather, and, as I’m sure to no one’s surprise, winter finally arrived. Last week, temperatures that had hovered in the 40s dropped, with the lowest of lows hitting below zero and staying there.
And with Helena’s limited shelter options, it’s hard for me not to wonder about those who don’t have housing and how they survive. According to Helena’s 2025 homeless count, about 140 people are living in the city without a permanent home.
That said, organizers have been preparing for months to step up and address the area’s lack of low-barrier emergency winter shelters when temperatures drop.
Last week’s weather, coupled with some snowfall, launched the Helena Emergency Shelter Plan into action, activating a “code blue” response.
The code blue triggered the opening of an immediate overnight low-barrier shelter at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 512 Logan St. That means those who need a place to sleep and stay safe throughout the night can go to St. Paul’s without meeting requirements that other area shelters have, like being sober.
In addition to St. Paul’s, Helena’s long-standing shelter, God’s Love, agreed to participate in the emergency plan and house any person in need of a place to stay.
As of Friday, about 20 individuals had sought refuge at the locations, according to Jeff Buscher, a coordinator with the nonprofit United Way of the Lewis and Clark Area.
The emergency plan was created and led by the Tri-county Community Organizations Active in Disaster, the city of Helena, United Way and other area nonprofits and faith-based organizations.
Organizers have searched for available spaces in Helena over the past several months to serve as temporary overnight shelters, but have faced some setbacks.
In an early February issue of Helena This Week, I wrote an update regarding the COAD and its emergency shelter plan. At the time, COAD had four locations identified as shelter options, including St. Paul’s, but attaining and training volunteers to staff the spaces and obtaining insurance coverage have kept most of these places from being used.
While the COAD responded to the recent cold-induced urgency, its mission is to establish something more permanent.
“Helena has long faced challenges in providing a low-barrier shelter that meets the needs of unsheltered neighbors,” a COAD press release stated last week. “The long-term goal remains to offer a consistent space that provides warmth, safety, and trauma-informed care for individuals who need additional support.”
With last week’s weather and some yet to come this winter, it’s imperative that Helena meet the needs for its most vulnerable residents, Buscher told MTFP Friday.
With last week’s weather and some yet to come this winter, it’s imperative that Helena meet the needs for its most vulnerable residents, Buscher told Montana Free Press Friday.
“ It’s a very difficult struggle, and it’s one that we can do better,” Buscher said. “The need for a permanent sustainable shelter is very much needed in our community, and we have a group that has begun to have a conversation about how we can make that a reality, I hope in the coming years.”
Public Notice
The local metropolitan planning organization for the Helena area is hosting two open houses to gather public input for its long-range transportation plan — a guide to address growth, transportation and safety needs across Helena, East Helena and the county.
The first open house will be at the Helena Civic Center Tuesday, Feb. 24, from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The second will be held at that same time Wednesday, Feb. 24, at the West Valley Fire Rescue Station, 1165 Forestvale Road. The MPO has provided a virtual open house, available here.
In Case You Missed it
MTFP reporter Mara Silvers and photographer Lauren Miller last week reported on Helena’s flawed public transit system. They followed individuals with disabilities to see how they commute to work, detailing the challenges of either navigating city sidewalks in winter conditions or securing rides from Helena’s Capital Transit, which isn’t always reliable. City officials responded to questions about funding a fixed-route bus system, saying that funding one would impact taxpayers.
Read the full story here.
5 Things to Know in Helena
Last week, former St. Peter’s Health nurse Aaron Gams, who was charged in 2024 with a felony of sexual abuse of a vulnerable person, appeared at a hearing at the Lewis and Clark Courthouse, apparently to change his plea. But during the hearing, county prosecutors informed the judge that they would amend the initial charge because it did not become a law until October 2024 — two months after Gams allegedly committed his crime. Prosecutors updated the charge Thursday to sexual assault resulting in bodily injury, which has a maximum penalty of 100 years in prison. Gams’ arraignment for the updated charge is scheduled for Wednesday, March 4.
Helena City Attorney Rebecca Dockter provided a brief update to the city commission last Wednesday regarding the Montana Department of Justice investigation into the immigration resolution that the city passed last month. After reanalyzing the resolution and the city’s process of drafting it, Dockter said she still feels “comfortable” that the resolution complies with Helena Police policies and with state law.
Joel Peden, a Helena resident and disability advocate, died last week. Peden was a part of the Lewis and Clark Public Health’s inclusiveness committee and pushed for more accessibility initiatives in the city, including adding more wheelchair charging stations. At the next city commission meeting on Monday, Feb. 23, Mayor Emily Dean will read a proclamation dedicating the day as Joel Peden Day.
On Thursday, a few dozen students from both Helena and Capital high schools walked out during the school day to protest federal immigration detainments across the country, along with last month’s deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretty. According to an IR story, students held signs that read “ICE OUT” and “NO HUMAN IS ILLEGAL.”
Local students and educators with Helena’s Grandstreet Theatre received several awards from the 2026 Junior Theater Festival West, according to last week’s festival press release. Grandstreet performers Vireo Zackheim and Haddie Dailey were named as Junior Theater Festival All-Stars while Retta Leaphart, a Grandstreet educator, was awarded the Freddie G Fellowship and will receive a $5,000 grant and a trip to New York City. Grandstreet also received the Excellence in Acting award during the festival.
Eye on Helena
Supporters of Konnor Ralph, a 23-year-old Olympic skier from Helena, react as he lands a trick during the finals of the big air freestyle skiing competition at the Milano-Cortina Olympics. The Tuesday-morning watch party at Ten Mile Creek Brewery in Helena was sponsored by Great Divide Ski Area, where Ralph started skiing as a child. Ralph finished fifth.
Might Be Fun
Helena’s local brewery,Brothers Tapworks, will celebrate its third anniversary Friday, Feb. 27. The business is owned by former Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and his brother Bill Bullock. The anniversary is from 5 to 9 p.m. and will feature live music from local band Copper Queen.
