After nearly eight years of dreaming, planning, and perseverance, we have something extraordinary to celebrate: Rose Hills is finally underway.
Last night, the East Helena City Council voted unanimously to approve a $17.58 million municipal bond to fund the infrastructure for Rose Hills, a new neighborhood built on a simple but powerful belief: Every Montanan deserves the opportunity to live in a safe, stable, affordable home in a neighborhood where they belong.
This is a historic milestone, not just for Rose Hills, but for the future of affordable housing in the Helena area and Montana.
Nearly eight years ago, we began imagining something ambitious. What if we could build an entire neighborhood designed from the beginning to create opportunities for people of all incomes? What if affordable housing wasn’t an afterthought, but an essential part of a thriving community? What if we could demonstrate that building homes affordable to working families could be done at a scale that would truly make a difference?
Today, that vision is becoming a reality.
A $25 Million Investment in Our Community’s Future
The proposed municipal bond is made possible by House Bill 505, passed by the 2025 Montana Legislature. The legislation created a new program allowing the Montana Board of Investments to guarantee municipal bonds that support housing developments incorporating a meaningful Bringing Rose Hills to life has required an extraordinary effort to assemble nearly $25 million in financing before we can build our first home.
That investment includes:
- $17.58 million in municipal bond financing, backed by the State of Montana through an innovative new financing mechanism established by the Montana Legislature in House Bill 505. This legislation allows the Montana Board of Investments to guarantee municipal bonds for developments that dedicate at least 30% of their homes to affordable housing.
- $3 million in equity, raised over the past four years through the generosity of supporters and partners who believed in the vision for Rose Hills.
- Approximately $4 million in private financing through Habitat for Humanity Capital, a community development finance institution (CDFI) helping finance the infrastructure necessary to create the first 101 homes in Rose Hills.
Together, these investments represent more than roads, water lines, and infrastructure. They represent the foundation for a new community and a new approach to addressing Montana’s housing challenges.
And importantly, they demonstrate what becomes possible when nonprofits, local governments, state leaders, private lenders, and community members work together toward a common purpose.
From Planning to Construction
For years, much of the work on Rose Hills has happened behind the scenes. There have been countless meetings, engineering studies, financial models, community conversations, and difficult decisions.
Now, that work is about to become visible.
Contractors are standing by to begin construction on the infrastructure that will serve Rose Hills. We anticipate breaking ground on a new water tower in the coming weeks, with wastewater infrastructure improvements beginning this spring.
In spring 2027, we expect to begin construction on the streets, roads, and utilities that will serve the first 101 homes in Phase One.
We still have nearly a year of infrastructure construction ahead of us before the first home can rise from the ground. But for the first time in this long journey, we can say with confidence: Rose Hills is no longer just a vision. It is becoming a neighborhood.
We look forward to inviting you to celebrate with us at a groundbreaking ceremony this coming spring, and we anticipate beginning construction on our first home in early 2028.
This Milestone Belongs to All of You
I want to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude.
To those who have donated, advocated for affordable housing, attended public meetings, shared your expertise and resources, or simply believed that we could do something different, something ambitious, something that might change the way we approach housing in Montana: thank you.
Rose Hills is possible because of you.
Over nearly eight years, we’ve encountered obstacles, found creative solutions, and built extraordinary partnerships. Along the way, we’ve learned lessons that we hope will extend far beyond East Helena, demonstrating a new way forward for communities throughout Montana.
Because affordable housing isn’t simply about constructing buildings. It’s about creating the conditions for people to build good lives. It’s about families putting down roots, children growing up in stable homes, neighbors looking out for one another, and communities where people from all walks of life can belong.
That is the promise of Rose Hills. And now, we’re beginning to make that promise a reality.
In the coming weeks and months, we’ll share updates as construction begins and this remarkable neighborhood takes shape. You can follow our progress at rosehillsmontana.com.
I am incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together, and even more excited about what lies ahead. After nearly eight years, we’re finally turning the earth on a dream that so many of us have shared. And I cannot wait for the day when we stand together in Rose Hills and welcome our first family home.
Thank you for believing. Thank you for building. And thank you for being part of this extraordinary journey.
With gratitude,
Jacob Kuntz
Executive Director
Helena Area Habitat for Humanity
Eleanor Development Corporation