The Salish & Kootenai Housing Authority is working with Big Water Consulting to convene a regional coalition of governments and non-profit organizations to address the housing crisis facing the Flathead Indian Reservation. The Housing Needs Assessment will collect actionable data that communities can use to plan for future housing and community development projects.

The Needs Assessment, which is funded in part by the Montana Healthcare Foundation, will focus on the intersection of housing and health to promote creative solutions to the challenges facing the communities of the Flathead Reservation.

The Flathead Housing Coalition was first convened in November 2021, with the purpose of addressing the regional housing crisis facing the communities on the Flathead Indian Reservation. Participants include stakeholders from both incorporated and unincorporated communities including Polson, Ronan, Arlee (represented by Arlee Community Development Corporation), Hot Springs, and St. Ignatius, as well as regionally focused entities, including SKHA, the Lake County Community Housing Organization, Mission West Community Development Partners, and Lake County.