Big Sky's Housing Crisis: A Search for Solutions

Big Sky, Montana is known for its stunning natural beauty and world-class skiing. However, beneath the idyllic surface lies a growing concern: the lack of affordable housing for the workforce that keeps the town running.

A Promising Development: Cold Smoke

A glimmer of hope has emerged with the Cold Smoke development, an affordable workforce housing project that is currently in the planning stages. This project, a collaboration between the Big Sky Community Housing Trust and Lone Mountain Land Company, aims to address the critical housing shortage in the area.

The Need for Affordable Housing

According to David O'Connor, the executive director of the Big Sky Community Housing Trust, the housing needs assessment has identified a deficiency of over 1,300 homes for workers and their families. With approximately 7,000 workers commuting daily to Big Sky, the project is essential to providing more permanent housing options.

The Details of Cold Smoke

The Cold Smoke development will feature 125 single-family homes and 264 apartments. The single family homes wil be priced about 150%-225% of the median income, putting them between $404,000-$585,000. The apartments will be offered between 8-%-150% of the median income, catering to a range of incomes. The project will be deed-restricted, preventing short-term rentals and ensuring that the housing remains affordable for the intended residents. They hope to break ground in 2025 or 2026 and have the first phase, consisting of 50-100 homes, available as early as 2027.

Source: https://bigskyhousingtrust.org/cold-smoke/, kbzk.com