On May 10th, Wolf Avenue, an 8-unit property located in Missoula’s Northside neighborhood, officially transitioned into resident ownership, marking a significant milestone for the residents. A celebratory event took place on June 4th, commemorating the culmination of a two-year-long effort to pioneer a new ownership model in Montana: the conversion of existing apartments into cooperative resident ownership.
This project was a collaborative effort with North Missoula Community Development Corporation. They now hold the land in trust ensuring the property remains permanently affordable. NMCDC is also providing ongoing support to the residents as they learn how to manage their cooperative.
This extraordinary achievement also owed its success to the City of Missoula, which extended financial support from the Housing Trust Fund, and the invaluable efforts of Courtney Ellis at Dorsey & Whitney, who skillfully navigated the intricate legal framework essential for establishing this unique ownership model. Thanks also are due to the Bangs family – Melissa and Collin both played critical roles in bringing this opportunity to fruition!
With NMCDC we have created a case study for this project to give a comprehensive exploration of this model of ownership. You can take a deep dive by clicking the button below.