Rumor vs. reality – affordable housing in Whitefish

When I tell people I work in affordable housing in Whitefish, I often get a response like, "Pffft, affordable housing in Whitefish, what's that?"

So, is there affordable housing in Whitefish? Like many conversations around housing, the answer is nuanced. In short, it depends on what specifically you are referring to. 

Data from the most recent Whitefish Housing Needs Assessment indicates that close to 13% of all rental units in the city are income restricted for households under 60 percent of the area median income (AMI). And more income restricted units are coming via the City of Whitefish’s Legacy Homes Program which targets households between 60-80% AMI. In the next year to eighteen months, there will be an additional 65 income restricted rental units amongst the 350 new apartments under construction right now. 

What I tell people is that if you are in the market for a 1- or 2-bedroom apartment and make between $45,000 - $60,0000 per year, there is a good chance you can find something affordable for your income. 

If you earn under $45,000 per year and don’t want a roommate, need a home with 3+ bedrooms, or need a pet friendly rental, you will have limited options and a lot of competition. 

Looking to homeownership, that is where the affordability challenges are amplified. Less than 2% of the ownership units in the city are income restricted. While the local community land trust continues to add a few single-family homes a year, there are extremely limited options for a household earning under $130,000 to purchase a home. 

The takeaways: 1) Some renters have a growing number of options in Whitefish, 2) families that are renting and need 3+ bedrooms are increasingly cost-burdened with limited choice, and 3) entry level homeownership options for our local workforce are essentially nonexistent. 

Whitefish remains the most expensive city in the fastest growing county in the least affordable state in the nation. We still have a long way to go to reverse this trend. 

Daniel Sidder is the executive director of Housing Whitefish.