Affordable Community Housing Solutions

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at Montana State University, formerly MSU Wonderlust, will present a panel discussion on “Affordable Community Housing Solutions” at a March 12 Friday Forum. The event will be presented online via Webex from 12:00 to 1:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public.

The Bozeman City Commission has identified affordable housing as one of its strategic goals. Community organizations and private sector partners are making strides toward sustainable and innovative solutions. This Friday Forum will highlight a collaborative project to develop a sustainable and affordable housing project with related family services in Bozeman. Please join us to learn more about partnerships and innovative funding strategies used to help meet our growing community needs for affordable housing.

Unanimously approved by the Bozeman City Commission in August 2020, Arrowleaf Park provides one-, two- or three-bedroom apartments and townhomes for individuals and families, and Perennial Park provides a new senior community for people 55 years and older. Together, Arrowleaf Park and Perennial Park will provide over 200 new affordable apartment units that are conveniently located near shopping, restaurants and services. Arrowleaf Park and Perennial Park were spearheaded by the Human Resources Development Council District IX and Seattle-based developer GMD Development. Family Promise of Gallatin Valley, a Bozeman-based organization that provides services to the homeless, and Community Health Partners, a Bozeman-based clinic providing affordable health services, are also project partners.

All apartments will be geared toward people making 60 percent or less of the area median income, with roughly one-third of the units being specifically for seniors. The development includes an on-site health care center and early childhood development center with the goal of providing much needed services to residents and other community members.

Panelists will include Steve Dymoke of GDM Development, Buck Taylor of Community Health Partners, Kevin Thane of Family Promise of Gallatin Valley and a representative from HRDC. The panel will be moderated by Terry Cunningham, deputy mayor of the City of Bozeman.

Advance registration is required and must completed by 11:00 a.m. on Friday, March 12. For more information or to register, please visit the OLLI at MSU website at montana.edu/olli/register. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Webex link and instructions to join the program.

Friday Forums are offered on the second Friday of each month, September through May, by the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) at MSU. OLLI at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach(ATO) at Montana State University. ATO works across MSU to support and advance our land-grant mission through unique and innovative opportunities for outreach and engagement.