Off The Streets Seeks City Partnership To Address Billings Homelessness

BILLINGS, Mont. – The issue of homelessness continues to affect many in Billings, but a local group is working to make a difference. “Off the Streets” is taking steps to address the problem and hopes to establish a long-term solution.

Operating out of four rooms at the 4th Ave Motel, Off the Streets provides shelter for 24 people at a time, equally split between men and women. Although not technically a low-barrier shelter, they strive to keep barriers as low as possible.

Dena Bishop, the case manager for Off the Streets, explained their approach to reintegrating chronically homeless individuals into society. “Do you need your ID to get a job, do you need your social security card, birth certificate really basic things, and then helping them maybe have the courage to do interviews so we’ll sit down and do mock interviews with them and they do a lot of the work, but really just being there for them and helping them make those steps to get back on their feet,” Bishop said.

Since opening in December 2023, Off the Streets has helped 138 people, with half finding stable housing. Of those, 44 percent secured and maintained employment. Adam Jordan, who was homeless for about six years, is one of their success stories. He shared his experience with the program, emphasizing the importance of patience and genuine care. “We have to be patient with them they need patience, they need someone to genuinely care they need someone who’s willing to listen, someone who will not prejudge them. ‘and is that what you found here at off the streets?’ Yes…yeah,” Jordan said.

Representatives from Off the Streets recently presented their successes to the Billings City Council. They expressed their mission to establish a true low-barrier shelter in Billings and seek a partnership with the city. Ken Koerber, Executive Director of Off the Streets, stated, “We’re looking for guidance, on how to solve the problem. Once we can get them on board with the acknowledgment of the problem, then we can work together and move forward. I would say that no it doesn’t fall to the city to fund us completely, but it does fall to the city to acknowledge the problem and try to find a partner in solving it and we want to be that partner.”

During the presentation, Off the Streets highlighted various ways the city could assist in achieving their goal, including funding opportunities and city-owned properties suitable for a low-barrier shelter. Some city council members expressed appreciation for the group’s efforts and ideas.

Councilmember Tom Rupsis suggested that if homeless programs in Billings joined forces and approached the city together, it would simplify resource allocation. Off the Streets is open to collaboration but believes that having multiple resources benefits the homeless, as different programs have unique missions.

Learn more about Off the Streets and their mission on their website, otsbillings.org.