Affordable Housing:
Re-authorize 15 million dollars from the Coal Trust Fund towards loans for the repair of current affordable housing units in the state. This is HB-16 which I sponsored in 2019 and proved to be very successful assisting the completion loan packages state wide, serving small and large communities to upgrade facilities.
I support passage of SB18 from 2019, Senator Margie MacDonald, Billings. This is establishes a 4% state tax credit program which can be compounded with the limited federal 9% tax credits to allow new affordable unitsto be marketable for an ownership group. This is successful in Colorado to increase the inventory of housing for folks making 60% average county wages.
Support measures to incentivize the renewals of Section 8 housing. We cannot loose such stock of housing such as the loss at 265 Colorado Ave, Whitefish. Might it take an incentive for new ownership to continue the contract with HUD to be a Section 8 voucher provider?
Assure that resident groups in mobile home parks are provided first buyer offer when these affordable housing parks are up for sale.
Nursing Homes:
Increase state state funding on the long term reimbursement for nursing homes. Seek a statutory funding bill that indexes the amount to inflation on an annual basis.
Coal Trust Fund:
Improve the investment earning of the fund so as to take in common stocks and comparable products. The New Mexico Fund yields about 6% while our trust yield about 3.5%.
Diversify beyond coal.