Tucked away off River Road, a cluster of modest homes is part of a bold experiment that supporters and participants hope could prove one approach to tackling Montana’s housing affordability woes: cooperative ownership.
A year ago, the residents of these 14 homes, a mixture of mobile homes, single-family houses and duplexes, weren’t sure whether they had a future here. A visit from a real estate agent — a sign their Seattle-based landlord was considering a sale — had thrown many of the tenants into a panic over the potential that subsequent rent spikes or redevelopment could force them from their homes.
Amanda Malek, a lifelong Missoulian, said that she and her husband saw few palatable alternatives in their price range. They looked on the outskirts of town, as well as down the Bitterroot Valley. They considered giving up their dogs and a cat, which were limiting them to pet-friendly rentals. They pondered crowding into a smaller unit where their three kids would have to share rooms — or even moving in with her parents.
Read the rest at Montana Free Press
Add new comment