Montana, and especially counties like the Flathead, desperately need well thought out affordable/workforce housing strategies. And this requires a real partnership between state, county and city elected officials. The last legislative session witnessed the passage of four bills “publicly” intended to address this crisis. They probably will not because they were more about state authority and overreach of the power of local governments. From a housing production and community planning standpoint, they were poorly thought out. That being said at least they gave some attention to this crisis.
Whatever their desired effect, even before they can be implemented at the local level, Montana statewide leaders Steve Daines, Ryan Zinke and now Tim Sheehy are promoting efforts to kill any attempts by state and local leaders to care for their workforce by supporting mass deportations of construction workers (especially framers, roofers and sheet rockers), skyrocketing construction materials through tariffs (like wood from Canada), and of course skyrocketing gas and oil prices. Their blanket support for Trump and Project 2025’s domestic policies will kill all attempts for desperately needed affordable/workforce housing across the Flathead and Montana. Thanks boys!
Pat Malone
Columbia Falls