The Montana Department of Commerce announced Tuesday that Bigfork will be among four communities in the state to receive funds for affordable housing.

According to a release from the department, Bigfork Senior Housing will receive $650,000 from the federal Housing Trust Fund, or HTF, to go towards rehabilitating and preserving 24 affordable homes for seniors.

Funds from the HTF and the Home Investment Partnership Program, or HOME, will be used to preserve 66 affordable homes, including those slated for Bigfork.

The Colorado Apartments in Belgrade will receive $668,000 of HOME funding to rehabilitate and preserve 24 affordable homes for seniors, Meadowlark Senior Apartments in Butte will receive $750,000 of HOME funding to build 26 new affordable homes for seniors and Florence Crittenton Family Services in Helena will receive more than $1.2 million of HOME funding to develop eight affordable homes for women and their children.

HTF and HOME funding are block grants allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and are designated for the production and preservation of affordable housing for lower wage earning households, including those with special needs, those who are homeless and those who are at risk of homelessness.

“With a housing supply shortage and inflation at a generational high, Montanans are having a harder time finding an affordable home. That’s why it’s vital that we continue to support developers who build quality, affordable, sustainable, safe housing for the folks who live and work in Montana,” Montana Housing Division Administrator Cheryl Cohen said. “This HTF and HOME funding will help build and rehabilitate affordable homes for seniors in Butte and Bigfork, rehabilitate affordable homes for Belgrade families, and develop affordable homes to help Montana women and children who need special services.”

In 2020 and 2021, Wishcamper Development and the Rocky Mountain Development Council received $1,650,000 of HTF program funding to rehabilitate and preserve Helena’s Firetower Apartments, 44 existing homes for seniors and those with disabilities.

Montana Housing supports access to safe, affordable, and sustainable homes for Montanans whose housing needs are not met by the market. For more information, visit HOUSING.MT.GOV.