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HAP Development urges Anaconda Deer Lodge County to opt into Montana Community Reinvestment Program; commission to consider opt-in next week
Summary
Pat Noonan of HAP Development Corporation briefed commissioners on the Montana Community Reinvestment Program and urged the county to opt in; he said the county’s $270,000 base allocation could be matched to $540,000 through a certified CRO and that early opt-in combined with proximity bonuses could make substantially larger funds available; the commission agreed to place the item on next week’s agenda.
Pat Noonan, speaking for HAP Development Corporation (associated with Homefront), briefed the commission on the Montana Community Reinvestment Program created by the 2023 legislature and described how a certified Community Reinvestment Organization (CRO) can administer and match local allocations.
Noonan said Deer Lodge County’s base allocation under the statute is $270,000; with a CRO match that amount would effectively double to $540,000. He also explained a second pot of competitive/regional funding tied to proximity to a 100-bed state facility and said that, depending on how many communities opt in, roughly $1,600,000 might be available to Anaconda from that pot. Noonan summarized that if the county opts in early, “there's $3,700,000 available to be able to start building workforce housing.”
Noonan said HAP Development is close to CRO certification and would assume the liability and administrative responsibilities required by the program, which is designed to support workforce housing for households earning about 60%–140% of area median income. He emphasized that the program is intended as a revolving source: assistance (for example, buy-down dollars) is deed-restricted and generally returns to the fund on resale so the pool can be used again.
Commissioners asked whether the program targets new construction or also supports restoration; Noonan said the law primarily targets new construction to increase housing inventory but that there may be other avenues for restoration in specific cases. Commissioners also discussed timing: Noonan urged the county to act before December to access initial allocations and bonuses.
Next steps: Commissioners signaled general consensus to add the opt-in and related paperwork to next week’s agenda for formal consideration; the commission did not vote to opt in at this meeting.
