The American dream should still be within reach in East Helena. People who work hard should be able to afford a home, raise a family, and build a good life here. Affordability means making sure working families, young people, and seniors can stay in the communities they love instead of being pushed out by rising costs.
Today that dream feels less secure. Housing costs keep climbing. Property taxes are putting even more pressure on family budgets. For many people, the question is no longer whether East Helena is a great place to live. The question is whether our children and grandchildren will be able to afford to stay.
Montana has started to respond. To help finance low- and moderate-income homes and apartments, the Legislature created the Montana Housing Fund and funded it in 2025. Lawmakers also approved state-backed bonds to support housing development. Those were important steps because housing does not happen on good intentions alone. It takes financing, planning, and a real commitment to helping communities grow in a way working families can afford.
East Helena is already showing what progress can look like. Habitat for Humanity’s planned Rose Hills development, a mixed-income, all-ages neighborhood of 1,500 homes, is a strong example of how state support, local leadership, and community partnership can come together to create real housing opportunity.
It has the potential to become a model for other communities across Montana. East Helena is leading by proving we can support growth without losing sight of the people who already call this place home. Still, more work needs to be done.
Housing is complex. It involves land, water availability, infrastructure, engineering standards, and close coordination with local governments and nonprofit partners. State policy matters, but state policy only works when communities can turn those tools into homes on the ground.
The next step is clear. We need to build on the progress already underway. The state can reserve resources, reduce red tape, and create incentives that help local projects move forward. We should keep supporting tools that work and make sure communities like East Helena can access them.
As your Senator for Montana Senate District 41, I will continue working to build on this progress through state legislation and maintaining local relationships, so the American dream stays within reach for working families. East Helena is a great place to live. It should remain a place where working people can afford to put down roots, build a future, and stay.
Democrat Erin Farris-Olsen, a Helena-based mother, attorney and small business owner, is running for state Senate District 41.
