Community forum on housing problems set for Nov. 14

A community forum on local housing concerns will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, at the Memorial Center in Libby. 

Susie Rice, a member of Christ Lutheran Church in Libby and a volunteer at the Libby Food Pantry, said that ongoing experiences led her and others to organize a forum to talk about the problems that exist and make people more informed.

"I would bet that you have been touched by the issue – knowing someone who can’t afford to rent/buy a home – knowing young people that can’t afford to move back to Libby," Rice said. "You may have even noticed someone who is living in their car with all their worldly possessions crammed around them. The food pantry is now serving 30 homeless clients. There are students at the Alternative High School who are couch surfing. Many in our community spend well over 50% of their income on rent."

The forum will have five people covering the changing real estate market, how housing insecurity affects education and physical and mental health, zoning that affects growth and programs that are in place to help those in need.

Following the panel’s brief opening remarks, there will be a question and answer time.

"We don’t expect that there will be solutions by the end of the evening, but we are hoping that we will all walk away more informed about the seriousness of the housing concerns our neighbors face and, perhaps, inspired to do something about it," Rice said.

According to Rice, the LOR Foundation and the Memorial Center have made the evening possible. There will be light refreshments provided by the Gracious Table and incredible door prizes.