Affordable housing planned

There has been a lot of talk about affordable housing in the Flathead Valley but little action.

Until now.

A team that is building an affordable-housing community in Somers will hold symposiums at the Red Lion Inn in Kalispell this week. The meeting Thursday begins at 6:30 p.m., and the Sunday meeting begins at 1 p.m.

Local lenders, builders, insurance agents, Realtors and building-supply companies have been working for months to create Hidden Lakes, a 150-lot residential community located on Somers Stage Road. Home and land packages start at $169,500, and lot sizes range from .20 to .33 acres.

Companies involved in the effort include Aztec Builders, Corpron and Corpron Construction, Creekmore Construction, Darren Clark Construction, Pacific Land and Homes, Glacier Bank, Mann Mortgage, U.S. Bank, Western Building Centers, Insured Titles Company of Kalispell and Shaine Reece of Farmers Insurance.

"This is the first time there has been a communitywide effort to really try to support a quality affordable-housing community in the valley," said Bob Murtha, a Realtor with Prudential Glacier Real Estate.

Murtha said he has been working on creating an affordable-housing community for two years.

"There is a real need in this valley," Murtha said. "Historically, there has been a shortage of affordable housing. We're trying to fill a need and hit a market segment that has been crying out for years."

For months, Murtha and the team of builders have met twice a week to come up with home plans that are both high quality and efficient to build.

"My hat goes off to the builders," Murtha said.

A key component to the development is the large number of amenities. The subdivision will include more than 30 acres of common open space, a community garden, walking paths, a baseball field and fishing ponds.

Murtha said he hopes to break ground before the holidays this year and hopes to have some completed homes by next spring.

Now that the housing boom's bubble has burst, Murtha said now is the time to focus on affordable housing.

"The slower conditions have actually made this possible," he said. "Everyone was so busy that it was hard to get everyone's attention to work as one unit."

The Hidden Lakes project also may help stimulate the local economy since it will put many construction workers back on the payroll, he said.

Anyone interested in the community's layout, home plans, financing options and insurance requirements is invited to the symposium. Interested home buyers will be able to pick their home design and get pre-qualified for a fixed-rate loan.

Reporter Michael Richeson may be reached at 758-4459 or by e-mail at mricheson@dailyinterlake.com