Samaritan House expansion plans include units for homeless veterans

Samaritan House, the Kalispell nonprofit organization that has operated a homeless shelter at 124 Ninth Ave. W. for many years, has a plan to increase the availability of housing for the most vulnerable community members — including homeless veterans — but will need the city’s approval to put its plan into action.

Samaritan House aims to renovate and repurpose its property at 1110 Second St. W., a plan that could create more space in the existing shelter and add separate low-cost housing units.

Executive Director Chris Krager said the project is an effort to address a variety of different housing-related needs at one time. “It’s kind of great because we have all different levels,” Krager said. “We’re sort of expanding on all fronts in a very nuanced way.”

The property, formerly an armory, is located southwest of Samaritan House’s current office and just north of Peterson Elementary School on Meridian Road.

Samaritan House took ownership of the armory building in 2008.

Samaritan House looks to build 16 new two- and three-bedroom multi-family units on the property and convert the armory into 16 single-occupancy units for veterans.

The plan also involves adding a kitchen and a cafeteria in the armory, in order to free up space for more beds in the existing shelter.

The Ninth Avenue shelter could use the extra space, since Executive Director Chris Krager said it houses 90 to 105 people every night.

THE 2.42-ACRE property is currently zoned P-1, a zone “intended to provide and reserve areas for public uses in order to preserve and provide land for community facilities which serve the public health, safety and general welfare,” according to a Samaritan House document submitted to the Kalispell Planning Board.

Under the P-1 zone, a homeless shelter is an allowable use with a conditional-use permit. But Samaritan House is proposing a zone change to B-3 (Core Area Business) to make it possible to add multi-family housing units on the site as well.

Samaritan House is seeking the zone change and a conditional-use permit from the city of Kalispell to move forward with its plans. That proposal will face its first test in front of the Kalispell Planning Board on Oct. 12. If the Planning Board recommends approval, the Kalispell City Council will vote on the request later in the month.

If Samaritan House earns the requisite approvals, Krager said it looks like construction could start in the summer of 2023.

“This whole project was designed based on a couple of recent studies on housing and homelessness,” Krager explained. “...Both cited a need in the housing stock around here that this project directly addresses.”

All told, the project would increase the number of shelter beds and long-term residences, both for low-income families and veterans.

“Kalispell is one of largest towns in Montana with no dedicated veteran housing,” Krager pointed out.

He said Samaritan House has received some positive indications that the single-family units will qualify for Section 8 Housing assistance. “The goal is they’re affordable on one income,” Krager said.

The property would be served by city services, including police, fire protection, water and sewer.

Samaritan House expects the development to increase traffic, but not beyond the capacities of the existing infrastructure.

“While the development will likely result in an increase in traffic…[it]is anticipated to be less than a standard multi-family/commercial use,” the application states.

It’s possible a traffic study would need to be completed in the future to further analyze nearby traffic patterns.

Samaritan House is working with Jackola Engineering as a consultant on the project.

“The Samaritan House is seeking to end homelessness in the Flathead, provide shelter, create stability, and encourage independence,” states the organization’s application to the Planning Board.

Both applications for the zone change and CUP are available on the Planning Board website at: https://kalispell.com/AgendaCenter/ViewFile/Agenda/_10122021-692?html=true

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at 406-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.