Habitat for Humanity will look to build six homes on what is now a baseball field on Railroad Street in Columbia Falls.

The development was initially slated for seven homes and park space, but after a survey of the property, it was discovered the neighbor owned what was slated to be parkland for the subdivision. That neighbor was unwilling to sell or donate it, so the number of lots had to be reduced, Habitat director Mary Beth Morand told Columbia Falls City Council last week.

Contraction aside, it’s expected to be  an attractive subdivision, with three bedroom homes complete with garages and fairly large lots, which will fit into the surrounding neighborhood.

Habitat for Humanity projects require homeowners to provide “sweat equity” when building their homes, which means they actually work on their projects.

“We give a hand up, not a hand out,” Morand said.

The homes come with deed restrictions that put a cap on the amount of equity a homeowner can build over time. For example, a homeowner won’t acquire any equity in the first five years and then it’s a sliding scale after that. 

This keeps potential buyers from simply flipping homes. Homes also cannot be bought and rented to another party, so no short-term rentals, either.

Morand told Council that they’re able to get some pre-fabrication of homes done at the agency’s ReStore facility in Kalispell. That helps in getting homes up and livable quickly. She said the hope is to have three homes finished by year’s end.

There are income requirements to qualify for a home. The program is designed to help working-class families get into a home of their own.

The agency has built several homes in Columbia Falls over the past 20 years, including a small subdivision on Mitchell Way off the Truck Route.

They’re currently building a home on Third Avenue East.

This project is being completed in cooperation with the Northwest Montana Community Land Trust.

The subdivision still has to go through the city Planning Commission, as it requires subdivision review and a zone change. It will also require City Council approval.

But Council did give it a verbal blessing at last week’s meeting.

As far as the lost baseball field goes, the plan is to move the backstop and dugouts to the junior high school, where there’s a field that isn’t being used. Baseball will continue to be played at Railroad Street through this season.

Even after that, there will still be a neighborhood park with a playground, it just won’t be as big.