Columbia Falls endorses workforce housing program, but will county commissioners?

The Columbia Falls City Council endorsed a $4.5 million Workforce Housing program in Flathead County during its meeting last week, but county commissioners might not follow suit.

With little discussion, the council approved sending a letter of support for NeighborWorks Montana to manage the $4.5 million assistance program.

The city noted in its letter that it has worked with NeighborWorks in the past and if the county doesn’t take the funding, it will go to another community in Montana.

“Allowing the funds to be reallocated to another county would deprive Flathead County citizens of the opportunity to participate in this program,” the letter, signed by Mayor Don Barnhart states.

Workforce housing has been a top item for several years for the council and currently there are several projects in the works, including individual homes and a larger subdivision on Railroad Street that is in the planning stages.

The state Legislature in 2023 put aside $50 million to address workforce housing through housing nonprofits by establishing Community Reinvestment Organizations. House Bill 819 created an account to provide funds to such organizations that along with local matching funds would assist eligible households in purchasing deed-restricted housing.

Commissioners must authorize the use of the organization that would then have access to and manage the funding or forfeit the opportunity to participate in the program. When