Housing program deserves full support

Montana has become one of the most unaffordable states for homebuyers, and Flathead County is one of the least affordable counties in the state.  

Analysis of the housing market by the National Association of Realtors shows that Montana and its neighbor Idaho have now surpassed California on the unaffordable list. In Flathead County, the median cost for a single-family home this year soared to nearly $680,000 and a townhome hit $420,000, according to figures by the Northwest Montana Association of Realtors.  

A program that housing advocates say could aid by creating a “hand up, not a handout” has presented itself with House Bill 819. The state Legislature in 2023 put aside $50 million through the bill to address workforce housing. 

Flathead County is eligible for $4.5 million in funding that would go toward providing homebuyers with 30% of the cost of the home as a loan. Including a local match from the organization administering the program, would mean $9 million targeted at affordable housing. 

A statewide organization that creates homeownership opportunities, NeighborWorks Montana has applied to carry out the program in Flathead County.  

But the clock is ticking. The approval of the county commissioners is needed before the end of the year, or the county will lose out on the opportunity to put another tool in the affordable housing toolbox and the money will be distributed to other communities.  

Two of the commissioners have said they are looking into HB 819 and would like to get input from the public. Several organizations have already told commissioners that the program would be beneficial, and individuals have noted it would personally allow them to purchase a home.  

Those who wish to voice their opinion should reach out to the commissioners or provide comment at their next meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at 8:45 a.m. at the Historic Courthouse, 800 S. Main St. in Kalispell. 

Rising costs have become a barrier for those looking to buy, particularly first-time homeowners. The state of the housing market has also become an ongoing headache for employers looking to keep and recruit employees.  

As Kim Morisaki with the Northwest Community Land Trust pointed out at a recent public meeting, home ownership has ripple effects, creating a stable workforce, business economy and community. But it’s become increasingly difficult for people to afford a home.  

“When our parents bought their first home, the cost was about five times what my father made annually,” she said. “Now we’re looking at starter homes in the valley being 10 times what people typically make annually. We’re out of kilter.”  

Statewide home values are higher than the U.S. average, while incomes are lower than the national average, according to the Montana Department of Labor and Industry. Housing prices from 2020 to 2022 increased by 50% while average hourly earnings increased by 7.2%. 

Under the housing program, a home priced at $400,000 would be purchasable with a mortgage of $280,000, according to Morisaki, making it affordable for a mechanic working at an auto shop or a deputy sheriff with a family. 

It’s clear that the housing program would provide the solution for homeownership for families who want to live and work here and contribute to the community.  

This should be an easy decision for the commissioners to make.