ADU proposal Public Comment from Catherine PotterAimee Brunckhorst
From: CHH <catherine@danielcloud.com>
Sent: Monday, January 18, 2021 6:31 PM
To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment
Subject: [EXTERNAL] Comment on ADU proposal
Follow Up Flag: Follow up
Flag Status: Flagged
As a local business and property owner, as well as a downtown resident, I have passionate opinions about the
proposed ADU regulations. I own an apartment building in downtown Kalispell that has 47 units and houses a
combined 54 people. My tenants pay between $150 and $800 a month for their units. Legislation allowing
more units of efficient and low-cost housing into the marketplace will certainly hurt my business. That said, I
am completely in favor of allowing ADUs. Not only is it the right thing to do, but it will have a positive economic
impact writ grand that raises all boats here, even if it has short term negative consequences for me.
Why is allowing ADUs an important step? I see three main reasons.
1. We need more small and efficient housing. Kalispell has a housing crisis unlike any other region I have ever
experienced, and we have hard-working people with lobs who cannot find a place to live. One of our regions's
largest employers, TTec, estimates that 10% of their workforce is homeless. Among the housed employees,
many are living inadequately in temporary arrangements, and in locations as far away as Polson or
Eureka. These people are earning $17/hour. They can afford an apartment. They just can't find one.
2. We need to get over the fad of 1950s style suburban tract housing as the only solution to housing needs.
The people who built much of the central city's housing stock were building a community made up of walkable
neighborhoods. Allowing modern Kalispell residents who share those same Montana community values, to
further increase and conserve the value of an existing resource makes sense. Gobbling up more open space
to build housing that is out of the financial reach of our working population doesn't meet our community's needs
and is not a conservative choice. We can and should learn from the mistakes of Aspen, Jackson Hole, and
Whitefish.
3. Because some ADUs are already grandfathered, but new ones are not, the existing situation is unfair. Some
Kalispell residents are making an astonishing second income, especially in the summer months, by charging
an average of $217/night for studio -type units above their garage. Through an accident of regulation, their
neighbors cannot enjoy the same privilege. I do not see how this is fair or correlates to Montana's fair market
principles.
I am completely in favor of allowing ADUs in our community and cannot wait to see the positive economic
impact of this fair decision on our working population and also on our property owners.
Sincerely,
Catherine Potter
c a t h e r i n e