Saturday, December 07, 2024
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Commissioners must promote workforce housing

| November 20, 2024 1:00 AM

Since the Legislature passed SBs 245, 323 and 382, our family has been actively involved with the city of Columbia Falls in updating their growth management plans and development codes. One important outcome of this effort will be to promote long-term, affordable workforce housing.  

Another bill, HB 819, was also passed which allows Counties to create "Community Reinvestment Organizations" (CRO) to help fund workforce housing projects. We urge you to authorize the creation of an CRO so that Flathead County can become eligible for $4.5 million in state funding toward this goal. 

This program can help ensure that essential workers — teachers, healthcare professionals, firefighters, and police officers — can afford to live and thrive in the communities they serve. It also supports local builders and businesses, which depend on a stable and local workforce. HB 819 provides a pathway to address these struggles. Flathead County’s $4.5 million allocation, when paired with private investments, can provide up to $9 million in funding for homebuyers. Failing to act in authorizing a CRO by Jan. 15, 2025, would mean these funds will be forfeited to other counties, leaving our community without this critical support. 

We have younger family members and many friends who lack the earned income to affordable safe, decent and affordable housing, yet some work more than one job to pay bills. They're responsible members of our County. Some have families of their own. But our extremely high-priced housing costs don't allow them to find an apartment or a home that is truly affordable (at least without being overcrowded or seeking family support — which many do).  

We urge Flathead County Commissioners to accept the funding allocated to Flathead County under HB819 and designate a Community Reinvestment Organization (CRO) to administer these funds. This program represents a unique and critical opportunity to address workforce housing challenges in our County. 

Patrick Malone, Columbia Falls