Viewpoint: Backers of Trinity affordable housing project push back against letter
The Trinity project that will provide 130 much-needed affordable housing units off Mullan Road in Missoula is the direct result of partnership and collaboration between Missoula County, the City of Missoula, Missoula Housing Authority, BlueLine Development and Homeword.
We are writing to share information with readers about Trinity Apartments and provide facts in response to former County Commissioner Jean Curtiss’ recent letter to the editor published Oct. 20.
Curtiss claimed Homeword, BlueLine and the City made promises regarding the construction of Trinity that were not kept. She alleged that the partners agreed to construct a new, dedicated road to access the back side of the Missoula County Detention Center and build a secured fenced parking lot in the same area. This is not true.
What is true is that when the Trinity development partners – the Missoula Housing Authority, BlueLine Development and Homeword – were asked to move from the northwest corner to the south, we committed to ensuring land would remain available for the construction of an access road. We also agreed to changes to our entrance and access to ensure the parking lot off Mullan had a drive-over curb so the Sheriff’s Office could have a second access from Mullan Road via the Trinity site. All of that is done, and promises kept.
More importantly, the Mullan Trinity project will soon fulfill its promise to provide affordable homes to our community when leasing begins later this fall. The property the county commissioners voted to donate will now be home to 130 apartment homes affordable to Missoulians – 30 of which are permanent supportive homes for people experiencing homelessness.
The project is the first of its kind in Montana and achieves multiple goals of several community-driven plans, including the Missoula Jail Diversion Master Plan and Reaching Home: 10-Year Plan to End Homelessness. All of these things are huge wins for our community.
As the fall leans towards winter, we are all feeling the colder temperatures and darker days. For many of our neighbors, it’s a matter of life and death as they navigate how to shelter themselves because they have no roof over their head.
This project is a significant step forward in an approach to restorative justice, health and homes affordable to a wide variety of Missoulians. We should all be proud of this investment to make our community stronger.
To learn more about this project visit Engage Missoula (https://www.engagemissoula.com/trinity-housing) and Homeword (https://homeword.org/trinity/). If you have questions about leasing at Trinity contact Erin Gillie at egillie@missoulahousing.org. To access the leasing interest list please visit: http://trinity.blpmc.com
Signed: Missoula County commissioners, City of Missoula, Homeword, Missoula Housing Authority, BlueLine Development