<div>If you’ve been on social media recently, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an image of the United States with individual states in shades of green to red. Green having the most affordable housing, and red having the least affordable. In the deepest, darkest shade of red on the map, lies Montana. We’re number No. 1, and not in a good way.The data is from the National Association of Realtors report on affordability and homebuilding in each state[1]. The “Affordability Score” measures for-sale listings across incomes and looks at median sales prices in relation to median household incomes. Or, in plain speak, it looks at who can afford to buy a home. The deep, dark shade of red in Montana corresponds to a household needing an annual income of around $177,000 to purchase a three-bedroom home in our state. For context, the typical family applying to the Whitefish Workforce Rental Assistance Program run by Housing Whitefish is earning around $44,000 per year.Meanwhile, the U.S. Census[2] recently released its population growth data, and to no surprise, Flathead County remained the fastest growing county in the state. Between 2020 and 2024, the county added over 10,000 residents. Whitefish, having grown 20% in that time, added nearly 1,500 residents. On average, those new residents were earning 37% more than existing residents in 2021.[3] New people, more money, and high demand for homes. It’s no mystery why housing prices have increased.Distilling these data points down further, it brings us here: Whitefish is the least affordable community in the fast-growing county in the least affordable state in the county. For those who have lived through this change, this data is just back-up to what has been felt over the last five years – higher home prices, higher rent, more people, and more animosity. In Whitefish, specifically, there continues to be a growing sense of concern for where the community goes from here.There has been a lot of pressure put on the Vision Whitefish 2045 Growth Policy efforts taking place in the city. For good reason. Whitefish is grappling with its identity and dealing with the trauma of intense change over the last five years. It’s a delicate balance with no easy answers. It is vital that individuals participate, have their voice heard, and stay involved. As we near the land use and housing section of the plan, Housing Whitefish will be advocating for policies that allow for a diversity of housing options that allow people to live in our community with agency, security, and safety. We believe that we need a housing market that is more responsive to our local needs, not a market that is driven by the status quo, outside investment, and that creates long-term liabilities for the city. We want more small-scale local developers that can rapidly add new housing options at affordable prices while not adversely affecting the existing housing market. Are these things the Growth Plan can address? Yes … and no. Zoning, code updates, and local policy changes can only go so far. In addition to the plan, we need more people committed to solving the problem locally. People building homes, starting businesses, and responding to our local challenges. The key is that we don’t rely on the Growth Plan as a crutch. It is a plan. Plans are meant to adapt, be challenged, and get thrown out when not working. Planning is critically important. So is doing. Daniel Sidder is the Executive Director of Housing Whitefish.</div>

Block Source: Flathead Beacon

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If you’ve been on social media recently, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an image of the United States with individual states in shades of green to red. Green having the most affordable housing, and red having the least affordable. In the deepest, darkest shade of red on the map, lies Montana. We’re number No. 1, and not in a good way.

Growth, Wealth, and a Path Forward

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If you’ve been on social media recently, there’s a good chance you’ve seen an image of the United States with individual states in shades of green to red. 

Growth, Wealth, and a Path Forward

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