Harlem, Chinook, Malta to study housing needs

Harlem, Chinook and Malta will conduct a study to see what kinds of housing are needed in their communities.

Possibilities include projects such as low-to-middle income housing, apartments for senior or single family homes to help convince people to stay in the rural communities.

Preparation for the study will begin as early as two weeks from now.

The work will be done with a $45,000 grant announced by Gov. Steve Bullock Tuesday.

Paul Tuss, executive director of Bear Paw Development Corp., which secured the grant for the three communities, said people along the Hi-Line feel there is a need for additional housing.

People think there seems to be a shortage of low-income and upper-level housing, he said. But developers are skittish about taking people’s gut feelings.

A study such as this may give developers assurance that there is really a need, he said.

Pam Lemer of Bear Paw, who is working with the three communities, said that in about two weeks advertisements will be placed in local newspapers looking for companies to coordinate the survey. Once the company is chosen, a series of meetings in each of the communities will be held to get ideas from the public on solutions to the housing problems.

Then work will begin on finding potential sites for housing.

She said one potential location would be contaminated areas that have been cleaned up — known as brownfields.

She said she hoped to move quickly on the study.

“We are on the fast track,” she said.