Big Sky Community Housing Trust

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Big Sky Community Housing Trust

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Our mission is to provide affordable and stable homes for residents living and working in Big Sky.

Big Sky Community Housing Trust is a tax-exempt public charity (federal tax ID #84-3391892). All contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowable by law. No goods or services were provided in exchange for your generous financial donation.

10/29/2026

NEW RENTAL AVAILABLE!

This fully-furnished two-bedroom, two-bathroom Firelight Condo is ready for occupancy! Yearlong lease required. If you're interested in applying, please head over to our website: https://bigskyhousingtrust.org/find-a-home/

09/24/2026

FINAL SUBMITTAL REMINDER
ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING SERVICES

Big Sky Community Housing Trust is seeking an architecture-led design team for the first 30 for-sale homes within the 125-home Cold Smoke community in Big Sky, Montana.

Proposals must be submitted electronically by Friday, September 25, 2026, at 4 p.m. in accordance with the requirements of the full RFP.

Proposals must be submitted to:
[email protected] &
[email protected]

09/17/2026

The RCLCO Real Estate Consulting Demand Analysis established that Big Sky’s workforce can support the 125 ownership homes planned at Cold Smoke. It also identified a spectrum of household incomes, home sizes, and pricing considerations.

The next step is testing those findings through preliminary design. To begin that work, the Housing Trust has issued an RFP for architectural services, with proposals due September 25. The selected team will help evaluate how a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes can fit the site while accounting for infrastructure, construction costs, and affordability goals.

The Housing Trust also plans to begin seeking development partners in December 2026, with home construction targeted to begin in fall 2028 and the first home sales anticipated in 2029. These dates reflect current planning targets and may change as plans advance.

Read the full Cold Smoke Demand Analysis:
bigskyhousingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Demand-Analysis_RCLCo_FINAL.pdf

Join our homeownership interest list: application.bigskyhousingtrust.com/screening/7015f000000MA92AAG See less

09/15/2026

To set home purchase prices, the Housing Trust must consider all monthly housing costs, including principal and interest, property taxes, homeowners insurance, and HOA dues.

For Cold Smoke, the Housing Trust will evaluate the complete monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment, against local incomes, aiming to keep housing costs within 30% of gross income. The initial purchase price will establish affordability, while the appreciation cap will help preserve it for future buyers.

This calculation will also help identify the gap between what the homes cost to build and what local households can support. The Housing Trust has issued an RFP for architectural services to begin preliminary design, which will help clarify construction costs and the size of that gap. Those findings will inform design and final pricing decisions.

Read the full Cold Smoke Demand Analysis by RCLCO:
bigskyhousingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Demand-Analysis_RCLCo_FINAL.pdf

Join our homeownership interest list: application.bigskyhousingtrust.com/screening/7015f000000MA92AAG

09/14/2026

RCLCO Real Estate Consulting estimates annual demand for approximately 185 for-sale homes among Big Sky employee households across all income ranges.

For Cold Smoke, the findings indicate a buyer pool deep enough to support 125 new ownership homes and will help the Housing Trust evaluate income eligibility and pricing. Neither will be finalized until preliminary design advances and BSCHT better understands construction costs.

Read the full Cold Smoke Demand Analysis: bigskyhousingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Demand-Analysis_RCLCo_FINAL.pdf

Join our homeownership interest list: application.bigskyhousingtrust.com/screening/7015f000000MA92AAG

09/10/2026

Household size is one important indicator of the types of homes a community needs. Gallatin County has a large share of one- and two-person households, primarily in the 80% to 200% AMI workforce bands. (For a household of two, this income range is between $83,350 and $208,375.)

For Cold Smoke, this means the Housing Trust will consider a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom homes. During preliminary design work this fall, BSCHT will evaluate how different home sizes fit the site, alongside infrastructure constraints and construction costs, before determining the final unit mix.

Read the full Cold Smoke Demand Analysis by RCLCO:
bigskyhousingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Demand-Analysis_RCLCo_FINAL.pdf

Join our homeownership interest list: application.bigskyhousingtrust.com/screening/7015f000000MA92AAG

09/08/2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING SERVICES: Optional Site Meeting Reminder

Big Sky Community Housing Trust invites qualified firms to submit proposals for an architecture-led design team for the first 30 for-sale homes within the 125-home Cold Smoke community in Big Sky, Montana. The selected team will provide architectural and engineering services from conceptual design through construction administration, with work authorized in phases.

An optional site meeting will be held Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 11 a.m. MST.

Clarifications and notices of interest are due September 18 at 4 p.m. MST. Proposals are due September 25 at 4 p.m. MST.

For the full RFP or site meeting information, contact [email protected] and [email protected].

09/07/2026

A household is considered housing-burdened when it spends 30% or more of its income on housing. Among Gallatin County owner households earning less than $75,000, the share of burdened households increased from 19.1% in 2017 to 28.8% in 2024. This is not only the largest increase among the mountain resort markets studied but also a measure of Gallatin County’s worsening housing affordability.

For Cold Smoke, the data reinforces why new construction must be paired with lasting affordability that considers both the initial purchase price and ongoing monthly housing costs. The Housing Trust will permanently deed-restrict the ownership homes with an appreciation cap, protecting their resale prices from unrestricted market increases and preserving affordable purchase opportunities for future generations of local workers.

Read the full Cold Smoke Demand Analysis by RCLCO: bigskyhousingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Demand-Analysis_RCLCo_FINAL.pdf

Join our homeownership interest list: application.bigskyhousingtrust.com/screening/7015f000000MA92AAG

09/03/2026

Big Sky’s for-sale market offers locals few options at lower price points.

During the 12 months ending in May 2026, only 17% of Big Sky home sales fell below $750,000. By comparison, 86% of sales fell below that threshold in Belgrade.

For Cold Smoke, the implication is clear: adding a new supply of homes is not enough. The neighborhood must also expand purchase opportunities at prices that align with household incomes, despite the gap between what homes cost to build and what local households can afford.

Final Cold Smoke home prices have not been set. The Housing Trust is now using the market findings to guide preliminary design and evaluate construction costs, lending assumptions, and site constraints before determining feasible pricing.

Read the full Cold Smoke Demand Analysis by RCLCO: bigskyhousingtrust.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Demand-Analysis_RCLCo_FINAL.pdf

Join our homeownership interest list: application.bigskyhousingtrust.com/screening/7015f000000MA92AAG

09/01/2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
ARCHITECTURAL & ENGINEERING SERVICES

Big Sky Community Housing Trust invites qualified firms to submit proposals for an architecture-led design team for the first 30 for-sale homes within the 125-home Cold Smoke community in Big Sky, Montana. The selected team will provide architectural and engineering services from conceptual design through construction administration, with work authorized in phases.

Release Date: September 1, 2026. Optional Site Meeting: September 10, 2026. Clarifications: September 18, 2026. Proposals: September 25, 2026.

For full RFP, questions, & notice of interest: [email protected] and [email protected]

Address

Big Sky, MT
59716

Telephone

+14069953696

Website

https://bigskyhousingtrust.org/about/donate-support

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