SAM Magazine—Big Sky, Mont., March 25, 2016—The shortage of affordable housing in resort communities across the U.S. has become a major issue—one that the recently formed Big Sky Community Housing Trust (BSCHT) aims to address by growing the inventory of such residences for the town's local workforce.

Created by the Big Sky Chamber of Commerce and the Human Resource Development Council, the BSCHT will apply for tax-exempt status with the IRS to provide permanently affordable housing units by acquiring land and removing it from the for-profit real estate market.

For local workers who are unable to afford homes, the group will provide assistance through development, technical assistance, mortgage counseling, homebuyer education, and lending programs. The plan is based on a model has been successfully implemented in other resort communities, such as Jackson Hole and Park City.

Local resident Loren Bough has pledged the initial land donation to the BSCHT with the intention of providing housing for teachers, firefighters, and law enforcement.

“Affordable home ownership for full-time families makes Big Sky vibrant and a better place to live for all of us,” said Bough. “Our founding donation is a launching pad … to create permanent, sustainable solutions to Big Sky's number one dilemma.”

Details on the size and price of the new affordable units will be made available as the project progresses.

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