Flathead Reservation Pilot to Fight Homelessness Through Housing Development

A partnership between Salish Kootenai College, CSKT, and the Tiwahe Initiative had participants renovating a boarded-up home while building life skills and increasing housing supply.

Twelve participants in the Building Trades Pilot Program renovated the property while receiving life skills training and continuing education credits. The renovated home will house five to seven individuals focused on recovery and workforce enhancement. The initiative combines housing development with wraparound services, reflecting a person-centered approach emphasized by program leaders.

While specific future steps remain unspecified, this pilot represents a strategic use of existing tribal resources to address a growing housing shortage driven by population in-migration.

Montana’s rural communities, particularly tribal nations, may find such integrated housing and wellness programs valuable as they face similar pressures. The model’s emphasis on workforce development and recovery support could resonate with Montana’s broader efforts to stabilize vulnerable populations while expanding housing capacity.