County Commissioner Zach Brown speaks alongside Tracy Menuez, community development director with HRDC, at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on April 26, 2022.
Tracy Menuez, community development director with HRDC, speaks at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on April 26, 2022.
Attendees introduce themselves at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on April 26, 2022.
County Commissioner Zach Brown introduces himself at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on Tuesday afternoon.
County Commissioner Zach Brown speaks alongside Tracy Menuez, community development director with HRDC, at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on April 26, 2022.
Tracy Menuez, community development director with HRDC, speaks at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on April 26, 2022.
Attendees introduce themselves at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on April 26, 2022.
County Commissioner Zach Brown introduces himself at a in-person town hall meeting to discuss county employee housing on Tuesday afternoon.
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Gallatin County hosted two town hall style meetings to address housing concerns with county employees Tuesday.
A large chunk of both meetings was dedicated to providing an update on the county’s plans to build employee housing on a roughly 10-acre parcel where the Gallatin County Rest Home sits.
Topics included what type of units could be built, limitations of the property and how the county intends to help employees with housing in the short and long term. The goal of the project is to retain and support employees while also attracting new ones.
The Human Resources Development Council, Groundprint Planning and Stahly Engineering are handling the early stages of research and development duties for the employee housing project.
Tracy Menuez, community development director at HRDC, led the meetings. She said that housing is a community issue that hasn’t been properly addressed.
“I think that housing has been something as a community that we have struggled to address fully for a long time,” Menuez said.
The intent of the project is to build both housing and child care for employees.
Menuez gave a presentation at the meeting, outlining issues and price jumps in the housing market in Gallatin County. For example, the median price of a single-detached house is $884,000.
Surveys were taken of county employees’ housing and child care needs, both of which were identified as barriers in keeping and hiring new employees.
Of the 268 employees who responded to the housing survey, three-quarters felt that an employer-assisted housing program would be a good idea and that the rest home property would be a good place to start, Menuez said.
While only 58 employees responded to the child care survey, 80% were interested in enrolling at least one child into day care.
Some housing options that Menuez presented included single-detached homes, tiny homes, apartments or a live/work style building, which could accommodate child care and housing units in the same structure.
Two major limitations on plans for the development include access and parking. There is also a sewer main running through a portion of the parcel where buildings cannot be built.
Though no specifics were given about what will be built, the county did get approval from the Bozeman City Commission in October to rezone the property from R-3, residential medium density, to R-4, residential high density.
That zoning change requires eight units per net acre, Menuez said.
The level of involvement the county might have in the future development of the property was also discussed.
For example, the county could sell the property to a developer with deed restrictions that explicitly outline how the parcel should be used. That option would give the county the least amount of control and the least amount of money poured into the project.
Or the county could take the lead in development and have total control while also being completely financially responsible for the project.
Gallatin County commissioners Scott MacFarlane and Zach Brown spoke about work the county has done to support and retain employees.
MacFarlane said that 5% wage increases have been put first into the new county budget. Brown added that employees would also get a $2,400 bonus.
Both commissioners recognized that the employee housing project would take a few years to complete, but provided a short term alternative.
The county has requested proposals from companies and property owners to rent units for employees with three-year master leases. In that scenario, the county would sublet the units to employees.
MacFarlane said that the reason is to ensure that there is housing inventory available for incoming employees and existing employees.
Brown said that the housing would be transitional and not permanent. Employees could lease a unit for up to six months, with the possibility of a six-month extension.
That plan won’t use taxpayer money to subsidize housing for county employees, he said, adding that the rent would be market rate.
The county is accepting proposals until May 9.
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Alex Miller is the county and state government reporter and can be reached at amiller@dailychronicle.com or by phone at 406-582-2648.
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