Public comment on attainable housing from Rachel Huff-DoriaDear Kalispell City Council,
Below is a petition that has been signed by dozens of residents, including those listed below along with additional comments from individuals in the "ps"
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Flathead Valley is in the middle of a housing crisis. While this crisis is caused by many factors – studies show that the lack of housing supply is a key contributing factor.
As residents, families, and employers we ask that the Kalispell City Council continue to recognize and take action to address the enormous need for all housing types - including housing
for middle incomes - by passing the Tronstad Meadows / Whitetail Crossing single family homes project.
This new neighborhood would provide 380 homes in the Flathead Valley for individuals, with the goal of having a majority of the homes attainable for middle income residents. This includes
2-bedroom, 3-bedroom, and 4-bedroom options.
While we understand some individuals will always oppose new development, and some individuals will only oppose development when it is in “their backyard,” we urge the Council to consider
the needs of the many residents across the City and Flathead Valley who are in need of a home. And consider that their need is now.
Without new housing options, many of us, as well as our families, friends, and employees – will not be able to stay in the community we love and purchase our own home. Some of us have
already had to leave Kalispell, while some of us have friends or children who have left as they cannot find housing options to fit their budget.
We are residents of Flathead Valley too.
We are nurses. We are firefighters. We are teachers, police officers, and essential workers. We are construction workers, electricians, and plumbers. We work in all of these professions
and more.
We are also employers. Our businesses and economy rely on us being able to retain employees – and we can't do that without housing options for them.
We have families. We volunteer at the schools. We contribute to our community.
We deserve to stay in the Flathead Valley.
And we deserve to live in a home we can be proud of.
Thank you for continuing to address the housing crisis through annexation and zoning change requests for the Tronstad Meadows / Whitetail Crossing neighborhood that would add attainable
housing options to the Flathead Valley for residents with middle incomes.
We understand that the addition of this one neighborhood won’t solve the Flathead’s housing crisis – but we also know that it’s an important piece of the solution. And it's one piece
we can’t afford to ignore.
Signed by residents including but not limited to -
Dave Dedman
Mark Mulcahy
Douglas Overman
Nino Gabaldón
Leanette Galaz
Renee Henderson
Bill Dial
Sabrina Wisher
Madison Wilken
Ava Franchi
Anika Bennetts
Leah Lindsay
and more….
PS: This is why building housing for middle income families is important to us, as community members. This is how the lack of housing options is impacting us, our families, our friends,
and our colleagues –
I can’t afford a home. My partner and I and our kids are above middle income and still struggle to afford rent, let alone a home. We watch our friends and neighbors get displaced. And
services dwindle because workers can’t afford to move here.
This community desperately needs some housing options the people with middle incomes can attain, and a community to be built that would suit those needs would make a huge impact on locals!
Having more housing for middle income households would mean myself, my friends, and my family could continue living in Kalispell. Having been born and raised there this is of huge importance
when planning my future. Lower and middle income people make up the core of Montana, the people who will be there year round and not just when the weather is nice. We don’t need more
houses to sit empty month of the year. To shove Montanas out of town for the tourism industry is cruel.
So my family can afford to live in a community they invested their lives in.
Being a parent of a young adult who wants to live in the Flathead Valley but can not afford to purchase his own home. I can promise you his life dream was not to live in an apartment
above his moms garage. The young people just starting out are not able to afford housing and it is heartbreaking.
We have new employees leave because they can’t find housing.
Currently my adult children are living paycheck to paycheck and renting apartments to live in the valley. It’s sad that they will need to leave the valley in order to survive and to
live a comfortable life and to own their own homes. For them and many others in the valley help is needed.
is not adequate for a new project of this size in this location.
The existing well that sits on the property is owned by the 110 acres and other neighbors with water rights. Is there enough water for 380 additional houses and the proposed linking
to the Kalispell water system, as well as the people with the existing water rights? Can the water rights be taken away from the other owners? Another big concern to our neighbors
is how this big project will affect our wells that serve all our properties. If the whole city of Kalispell is drawing water from that well - will we be negatively affected?
The developers have mentioned affordable housing - the price is not affordable for most new home buyers in the valley and the proposed density just makes it look like more profit for
the developers.
We appreciate Chad Graham's concern and his NO vote at the planning meeting on April 9. Tronstad Road is not ready for this kind of additional traffic and 380 houses being built. Please
consider voting NO on this growth policy change, annexation and development.
Thank you for your consideration. If you need to contact me, my phone: 406-253-5199