National Affordable Housing Network opens home center in its hometown Butte, Montana

Many non-profit organizations pay a small fortune to maintain an office in Washington, DC and work the agencies and Congress. The National Affordable Housing Network is a grass-roots organization with headquarters in our hometown, Butte, Montana, a town dominated by natural resource extraction and boom and bust cycles. Because of the fact that many American immigrants made their start in the States by working in Butte's rich underground mines, known as the Richest Hill on Earth, this now-small town has connections to an amazing number of families now scattered around the world.

The town has the nation's second largest national historic landmark district and a very large area of urban blight and poverty. The nation's largest copper source has become part of the country's largest Superfund site. It faces nearly every challenge imaginable, except for runaway growth. The Network has been partnering with Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Montana to expand investment and local involvement through development of a master plan in partnership with Butte-Silver Bow Planning and Montana Tech.

After five years in Butte, the Network now has a home of its own as part of the new "Richest Hill Home Center" at 944 S. Wyoming (the former St. Joseph's Rectory). Home centers are places where people interested in affordable housing can learn more about owning a home and available affordable housing options. In Butte, the Richest Hill Home Center will provide a location that will allow the Network to serve homebuyers to a far greater degree.

The Network also maintains a design center at 3601 S. Montana, where house plans are developed. The Home Center offices include owner-builder information and homebuying assistance information.

The Richest Hill Home Center will address the fact that the Central Butte Neighborhood is in critical need of non-profit housing services. Data collected during 1998 shows that the Central Butte Neighborhood's median household income is less than half that of the city as a whole, and more than 80 percent of the area is low income. The Network is dedicated to the creation of a strong neighborhood association, which will also be located in the Home Center, along with Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Montana.

Butte was built on what once was "the richest hill on earth." What is left is an historic, but decaying, legacy, which places substantial burdens on Butte's most disadvantaged citizens.

The Richest Hill Home Center is dedicated to representing housing consumers in Butte, making connections between housing professionals and those interested in buying and investing in homes on the Richest Hill. The Home Center is operated as a membership organization, and will include mailings to members about Special Events at the Home Center. Homebuyer education Classes are offered every two months. Call (406) 782-8579 to request information.

The Home Center is also home to the Central Butte Neighborhood Association, Safe Space's Dressed for Success program, and Habitat for Humanity of Southwest Montana.

How is this miracle possible? The answer is a partnership with the Butte Catholic Community North, and Father Don Shea, who hopes the Home Center can help the neighborhood develop resources to help upgrade housing and build hope throughout the area, which is home to the Catholic grade school as well as St. Joseph's Parish.