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Flathead County Affordable Housing Forum

Details:
A fascinating and timely panel discussion on an issue impacting all of Montana - affordable housing.
More Info:

Please join us for the Affordable Housing Forum at the Whitefish Middle School Performing Arts Center. This discussion will focus on key issues impacting the availability of affordable workforce housing in the Flathead Valley. Scroll down to see a list of sample questions for the panelists.

Speakers:

  • Kim Morisaki/Northwest Montana Community Land Trust
  • Ryan Hunter/Kalispell City Council + Flathead Land Trust
  • Ben Johnson/WF Housing Authority
  • Jerry Dunker/Trailview (Whitefish) fixed-deed subdivision builder
  • Ed Docter/Whitefish Workforce Housing Project co-founder

This non-partisan event is co-sponsored by the Kalispell Education Association, the Northwest Montana Association of Realtors, and NeighborWorks Montana.

Moderated by Roger Hopkins, former journalist for the Missoulian and Daily InterLake papers, news director of KCFW-TV in Kalispell, and former mayor of Kalispell and City Manager of Columbia Falls.

Audience questions will be encouraged. Participation from masked and vaccinated attendees strongly encouraged.

Date:
November 17, 2021
TIME:
7:00 pm
8:30 pm
LOCATION:
Whitefish Performing Arts Center at the Whitefish Middle School, 127 Spokane Ave, Whitefish
GUEST SPEAKER:
WHY ATTEND:

Here are some sample questions to be covered in the Forum:

  • What efforts and programs are currently in place to create affordable housing?
  • What will motivate business, government, and the general public to create more affordable housing in Flathead County?
  • How do developers balance the need to make a profit with the goal of building affordable housing, especially with building costs so high?  How can the financial burdens be distributed equitably amongst developers and local governments?
  • How do we balance the need for affordable housing with the impact upon current residents and the community infrastructure?
  • What is the difference between AFFORDABLE housing and WORKFORCE housing and how do we address the possibly conflicting interests? What can employers do? 
  • Programs so far seem to target single-family housing. Can the tools and strategies available be used for multi-family housing?
  • When affordable housing developments are not approved, that land is often developed into more expensive, "UN-affordable" housing. How do we control that?
  • What have other communities in the West done that could be incorporated here?
  • What are your top ideas or recommendations to help create more affordable housing in the Flathead?