Habitat project starts with public comment session

Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley wants to pick the brains of people in Columbia Falls.

The nonprofit is gearing up for its most ambitious project ever, a 16-unit housing development called Fifth Street Homes.

To prepare, Habitat is joining with the city of Columbia Falls to hold a public meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 17, for residents to say what they think the town needs most.

The meeting is from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Discovery Center at 540 Nucleus Ave., formerly the site of First Citizens Bank.

Over the next three years, Habitat wants to build 16 decent, affordable duplex homes on 1.36 acres just north of Columbia Arms senior apartments and across the street from Plum Creek’s log yard. Families that make $10 an hour will be able to afford the homes, Habitat promises.

Representatives started working with the city more than a year ago and won preliminary plat approval. Habitat has a buy-sell agreement in place for the land, along with promises of donated services for engineering, architectural design, surveying, land design and construction supervision.

Now it just needs start-up funding.

The city of Columbia Falls is applying for a $450,000 Community Development Block Grant, Habitat Programs Manager Erica Williams said. If successful, the grant will provide $100,000 for the land and $350,000 for infrastructure — water, sewer, streets and street lights. Included is about $40,000 for administration costs over three years.

The Montana Department of Commerce requires that Community Development Block Grants be channeled through the city, which then disburses it to the individual recipient. In this case, that’s Habitat for Humanity.

As part of the public process, city residents must have a forum to speak out on what they want to see in their city.

On Tuesday, the community needs assessment meeting will give Columbia Falls residents that chance. Habitat and city officials want to hear what residents think about housing, economic development, public facilities or any area of the community important to them.

“If community members really do support this project, it’s important we have widespread community representation at this meeting,” Williams said. “The success of this meeting will determine whether we receive the grant.”

It’s a different approach from the past, when public hearings were held during City Council meetings. Several applicants have gone with the traditional hearing but typically draw few public comments.

Habitat is aiming for broader participation.

Tuesday’s hearing will be informational, beginning with an explanation of the grant program by Julie Flynn, Habitat for Humanity of Flathead Valley’s grant writer from Helena. An overview of the proposal will follow, then comments from those attending. Input will be documented for the state to consider along with the grant application.

If approved, it will help Habitat take a big leap forward.

The group is the oldest official Habitat affiliate in Montana. Since its founding in 1989 until 2005, it built 17 homes. But it set a goal for itself in 2006 to eliminate substandard housing altogether in the Flathead Valley.

That year the group worked with future homeowners, volunteers and the community to build two homes. In 2007 they built four more. In 2008 it was five. This year it was four — ending with the group’s 32nd home.

Fifth Street Homes would be the second major project in Columbia Falls.

“In the last four years, there’s been a huge push, a lot more momentum in Habitat,” Williams said. “We’re hoping with the community support we can continue this momentum.”

Access to Fifth Street Homes’ 16 two-story units in eight buildings will be by a one-way alley that exits onto Fifth Street near Plum Creek. Directly west of the exit is a future park the city will develop.

Infrastructure gets built first, then construction on the first four homes starts in June. Once those are finished, the next two will be started in the fall so they can be dried-in by winter.

That process continues for the full three years.

“The summer start of this project — that’s what we’re hoping for — is dependent on federal funding because this is much larger than we’ve put out there before,” Williams said.

She said 48 families are on the waiting list and being prepared for home ownership through a Habitat mentoring program. Criteria for family selection are need, the ability to pay and a willingness to partner in the home building.

Williams said workers are drawing inspiration from Habitat homeowners.

“They tell me we truly are giving a hand up and not a handout,” she said. But one new homeowner made a real impression on Williams.

“Habitat gives hope to people that are trying,” she relayed that conversation, “and they just need one break.”

Reporter Nancy Kimball can be reached at 758-4483 or by e-mail at nkimball@dailyinterlake.com