Kalispell council discusses possible housing solutions

The Kalispell City Council mulled several avenues for increasing affordable housing in the city, including establishing a housing authority and loosening zoning restrictions, during a work session Monday evening.

“One of the things that’s been made glaringly obvious [is] we have a significant lack of housing for individuals and citizens throughout our community at all income levels, but especially when we look at the lower income levels,” said Mayor Mark Johnson.

City Manager Doug Russell brought up the possibility of establishing a housing authority, which could help the city particularly with vying for affordable housing tax credits from the state. Russell cited research indicating 90% of affordable housing developments are built through affordable housing tax credits, and Planning Director Jarod Nygren said Kalispell has received credits for three such projects over the past six years.

Russell explained a former iteration of a housing authority previously existed under the Community and Economic Development Department.

There was some support from council for the proposal to pursue a housing authority, although multiple council members expressed concern that establishing such an organization might draw resources away from area nonprofits who are already engaged in work around developing affordable housing.

Russell also pointed out the challenge inherent in funding a housing authority. He suggested the city could either restructure its staff to free up funds for the organization, or a mill levy could be floated to the community.

“It’s not easy,” Russell warned. “Those projects will be challenging but I don’t think this council has ever let a challenge stop us from doing anything, otherwise we wouldn’t have accomplished some of the projects that we have done.”

Council discussed numerous alternatives for creating more affordable housing in the area, but one idea that garnered support from multiple members of council was the idea of loosening zoning restrictions.

Council members Sid Daoud and Ryan Hunter both discussed the possibilities of adjusting zoning regulations to allow for tiny homes and other housing types throughout the city.

However, Council member Chad Graham said he was wary of “shoehorning” residences into neighborhoods where such housing types weren’t originally intended.

Mayor Johnson, meanwhile, advocated for a more hands-off approach in which the government would leave it up to organizational partners to bring in housing options and allow free market forces to bring down housing costs over time.

“I understand there’s a lot of angst, there’s a lot of frustration, that there are a lot of questions,” Johnson said. “’The council has to do something,’ that was one of the messages that resonated. I hate to burst your bubble but my take on government, government doesn’t solve the problems, government works to set the playing field so we can have the problems solved through multiple members of society.”

During the public comment period of the work session, real estate agent Chris Hall advised council to team up with a real estate consultant and consider coordinating a housing solution with the other Flathead Valley municipalities.

Chance Barrett, Board President of Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana, said the nonprofit looks forward to rekindling a partnership with the city through an initiative like a housing authority.

And Jenn Prunty, founder of My Glacier Village senior community, suggested council take aging populations and long-term living into account when implementing affordable housing strategies.

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