EAST HELENA — The City of East Helena and Helena Area Habitat for Humanity are partnering with the Montana Board of Investments to finalize the financing for the mixed-income neighborhood.
Watch the full video below:
“We want Rose Hills to be a complement to East Helena,” Jacob Kuntz, Helena Area Habitat for Humanity executive director, said.
A bond of up to $17.5 million has been proposed to help cover the majority of off-site infrastructure costs, including water, wastewater, and transportation improvements that must be in place before the 1,500 homes can be built.
“The bond will not impact the current residents of East Helena. The assessments for this bond are only for the Rose Hills neighborhood because the infrastructure put in place only affects Rose Hills,” Kuntz said.
Addressing infrastructure upfront allows the project to advance responsibly while protecting the city’s general fund and existing taxpayers, according to development supporters.
This is a part of an innovative financing mechanism, House Bill 505, which passed in the 2025 legislature.
Habitat says the approach could become a game-changer for smaller Montana communities.
“If we get this right, this is something that is replicable in the state of Montana in small communities that are trying to balance infrastructure needs," Kuntz said.
Some residents have expressed concerns regarding water and that the development would sit atop former Asarco smelter property.
“We have a very detailed work plan on how we are going to address soils to make sure that the homes built are protective of human health," Kuntz shared. “While East Helena currently has the water capacity to serve Rose Hills, we do not want to just stick our head in the ground and say that’s fine. We want to deliver a neighborhood that exceeds water standards.”
One-third of the homes will be Habitat homes, with the other portion being constructed by for-profit businesses in the area.
As of now, the timeline is looking like groundbreaking in September, with house construction in the summer of 2027.
