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Whitefish council authorizes multi‑year matching support for Housing Whitefish rental assistance
Summary
Council voted unanimously to let the city manager negotiate a three‑year matching agreement with Housing Whitefish to expand its workforce rental assistance program, capping city matches at $200,000, $250,000 and $300,000 over successive years.
The Whitefish City Council voted unanimously Monday to authorize the city manager to negotiate an agreement with Housing Whitefish to support the nonprofit’s workforce rental assistance program with a one‑to‑one city match, capped at $200,000 in the next fiscal year, $250,000 the following year and $300,000 in the third year.
Housing Whitefish representative Daniel told the council the program has supported roughly 65 households to date and helped families remain in the community. “This program is really helping folks continue to live in the community,” Daniel said while asking the council for a multiyear commitment to help the group attract matching philanthropic and grant funding.
The request comes as the nonprofit and the city assess local rental market dynamics and funding gaps for workforce housing. Daniel said rents projected for a local new project (Alpenglow 2) would require higher rates — roughly $1,400 for one‑bedrooms and $1,800 for two‑bedrooms — than Housing Whitefish clients generally pay, making that project a poor direct fit for many of the nonprofit’s current clients.
Councilors asked how the matching would work. Daniel said Housing Whitefish would raise private and partner funds and use the city match to leverage further donations; he cited existing commitments from the chamber and local foundations. City staff and council members clarified that the proposed caps are the maximum amounts the nonprofit could draw, not guaranteed annual disbursements.
Councilor Frank moved to authorize negotiation of the agreement; Councilor Cornell seconded. The motion carried unanimously.
Looking ahead, Housing Whitefish said it plans to transition the rental assistance into a more permanent program and to hire a part‑time coordinator to manage caseloads and outreach. Councilors asked staff to incorporate the request into budget discussions and to preserve flexibility in funding sources, including resort tax proceeds or the city’s affordable housing mills, rather than dedicating a single source indefinitely.
