County seeks state grant exception for YWCA, Opportunity Resources

Martin Kidston

(Missoula Current) Several nonprofit organizations have asked Missoula County to submit a grant application to the state on their behalf to help them pursue several projects on the horizon.

The county already has submitted a planning grant application to the state to help Seeley Lake Elementary make improvements to the school, and it also applied for a housing grant to help the Poverello Center build transitional housing for veterans.

But Opportunity Resources and the YWCA have also asked the county to submit a grant application on their behalf. Under state law, the county can only have one open grant at a time. The county has asked the state for an exception to that rule.

“We were approached by Opportunity Resources to apply for a housing grant on their behalf for their Howard Street group home,” said Sindie Kennedy, the county's grants administer. “We currently have the Poverello's veteran housing project. That project is pretty much done but it's still considered an open grant. We have to submit a letter to the state requesting permission to apply for another housing grant to close out the existing housing grant.”

Opportunity Resources provides residential and other services to people over 16 years with physical or developmental disabilities. The organization has two group homes that service 16 residents, but the units need rehabilitation, including ADA upgrades.

“Opportunity Resources has leveraged funding in the form of building reserves to partially support the cost of the project,” the county wrote in a letter to the state. “(County) staff have the capacity and knowledge to administer a (housing grant) without compromising the compliance and timeliness of the current housing grant.”

The county last year also applied to the state for a planning grant to help fund a preliminary architectural report to rehabilitate the Seeley Lake Elementary. The project is underway and is expected to conclude early next year.

But the YWCA has asked the county to submit a planning grant on its behalf for a project proposed next to its Meadowlark facility on Third Street. Again, the state only allows the county to have one open grant application at a time, and the county is asking for an exception.

“The first thing they (YWCA) need is a planning document for them to be eligible to apply for a (grant) from the state. A planning grant will help them get that,” said Kennedy. “They have their shelter and are finding that a lot of families they serve are struggling to find housing. They want to try to potentially help solve part of that problem and provide some housing that could provide some additional support right next to their (Meadowlark) facility.”

As proposed, the YWCA would build a mixed-use facility with Secret Seconds on the main floor. The second floor would include client services and housing for survivors experiencing homelessness. Roughly 21 units of affordable housing would occupy the third and fourth floor.

According to the county, the YWCA and Homeword are working with the city to explore additional support, including HOME funding or the formation of a new Urban Renewal District.

The county is asking the state for permission to submit a planning grant for YWCA even as the Seeley Lake planning grant remains open.

“I always thought this was silly in all the years I've thought about it, why we can't do more than one grant at time,” said Commissioner Josh Slotnick.