Issue Position: Affordable Housing

Issue Position

-A decade ago, young families fleeing high real estate prices in Kalispell and Whitefish were able to purchase homes at affordable prices in Columbia Falls. In the last few years, this has changed significantly. According to Zillow's home value index, the median home price in Columbia Falls has increased 33 percent in the last five years while household incomes across Flathead County have increased about 3 percent.
-While escalating property values add equity for homeowners, there are also challenges that are created. Specifically, higher home prices are driving higher property taxes for our older residents, and higher purchase prices are a challenge for our younger residents and first-time home buyers. We need to reform our property tax system so that it doesn't drive our older residents on fixed incomes out of their homes; and we need to support affordable housing initiatives for our younger residents so that they too can build equity.
-As your legislator I will work with the Montana Board of Housing to support and expand the public-private partnerships that have proven successful in building a larger stock of affordable housing, both rental properties and home ownership. It is critical that state and local government continue working with our nonprofit community so that together we can build housing for low- and middle-income families.

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