MISSOULA, Mont. - More affordable housing opportunities are about to hit Missoula as crews get closer to finishing the Trinity apartments.
There'll be 202 units in total. The majority will be one bedroom apartments, but unite will range all the way up to four bedrooms.
The apartments are set up at two sites. One site is on the 1600 block of Cooley Street with a scheduled finish in November. The other is at 2200 Mullan Road with an estimated completion in January 2023.
According to Missoula Housing Authority, agents will begin reviewing applications in mid-October.
Lori Davidson, MHA executive director, said they've received over 400 interest forms already, but it's not too late to sign up because there are many factors involved.
“We are looking at this project as low-barrier, meaning people that may not be able to get housing in the private market for one reason or another, maybe they have a credit rating that’s not the best, or some other reason, we are going to be working with those people more closely, so we can get them into housing," Davidson said.
If applicants don't get selected during the initial lease up, their names will remain on the list, she added.
The Missoula Housing Authority teamed up with Homeword for this project.
The units will be rented out to people earning 30% to 70% of the area median income for Missoula, which is $36,890 or less for a single person household.
While the rents will be capped, Heather McMilin, Homeword development director, explained construction quality is not sacrificed.
“We’re building with durable products," McMilin said. "We’re designing energy efficiently and we’re building close to jobs. That’s the whole goal. These projects should hold up. We’re committing to 50 years of affordability, and hope they would last longer than that. Buildings don’t last forever, but the choices we’re making now will be direct impact to the buildings longevity, the homes lasting longer, and also the bottom line for residents and their utility bills.”
According to the Trinity apartments website, the total construction budget is $35 million. McMilin said the projects are paid for through a number of sources, including a state bond, federal funding through the state and local level and a low-income tax credit.
To join the interest list, click here.
