Donation Allows New ‘Housing Whitefish’ Nonprofit to Gain Momentum

A new nonprofit that aims to address affordable housing in Whitefish recently received a donation to hire an executive director who will work closely with donors, the City of Whitefish and other housing organizations to bring in inventory that will be below market rate.

Texas billionaires and Whitefish residents Mark and Robyn Jones donated $20,000 to Housing Whitefish to hire its first staff member and they have committed up to $1 million in the planning and designing of an affordable housing development.

The nonprofit also received a grant from the Whitefish Community Foundation and funding from the Explore Whitefish Community Sustainability Fund that will go toward the executive director position and associated start-up costs.

“We are cognizant of the urgency to create more affordable housing stock in the Whitefish area,” Robyn Jones said in a statement. “This initial donation is to define a very specific project against which we and the community can rally and invest.”

Housing Whitefish’s board was established earlier this year, which has been run entirely through volunteer work. Board members are working to fill the position within the next month, Board Chair Katie Williams said.

The board is currently working with the City of Whitefish to potentially develop city-owned, 8-acre property on Monegan Road.

“We’re hoping to partner with the city to eventually have this land donated, but we are still in conversations about the feasibility,” Williams said.

If the property was donated to Housing Whitefish, staff would work to obtain grants and fundraise to build a multifamily and potentially a single-family development with 70 to 100 units, which would be rented below market rate.

While Housing Whitefish is a stand-alone nonprofit, the organization works closely with the Whitefish Housing Authority, which focuses on administering deed restrictions and provides low-income tax credits.

Availability and cost of land has been a challenge for Housing Whitefish’s progress so far, and Williams encourages landowners to reach out if they are willing to donate property for affordable housing.

“We’re always willing to entertain ideas from private members of the community and developers,” Williams said. “We are very excited to gain momentum to solve the community’s housing crisis.”

For more information or to donate, contact Williams at [email protected].