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Public comment on attainable housing from Rachel Huff-DoriaAimee Brunckhorst From: Rachel Huff-Doria <rachelhuffdoria@gmail.com> Sent: Wednesday, May 15, 2024 12:49 PM To: Kalispell Meetings Public Comment Subject: EXTERNAL Public comment on attainable housing Dear 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" 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 Gabaldon 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 — 1 can't afford a home. My partner and 1 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.