History and Background

In December 2021, the Poverello Center purchased the Clark Fork Inn property with capital grant commitments from the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs and other funding agencies. This[AF3] facility will be repurposed as transitional housing under the Housing Montana Heroes program. This program is currently located on the second floor of the Poverello Center and serves approximately 38 veterans each year.

Renovation of the Clark Fork Inn, at 1010 West Broadway, will increase capacity for both housing and support services specifically dedicated to veterans and will increase the Poverello Center’s capacity to serve more clients needing shelter assistance. Support services at the facility will include case management to assist veterans in obtaining permanent and stable housing.

The project aims to make improvements to the current aging facility for safe temporary housing, improved access to support programs and promote a smooth transition to permanent housing. This property currently provides 13 units and an office in Building 1 and four units in Building 2. Building 2 will not undergo any rehabilitation or other construction activities. The north wing of Building 1 will be demolished and reconstructed. Upon completion, the north wing will offer three one-bedroom apartments and a community space. The west wing of Building 1 will be rehabilitated and will offer nine one-bedroom apartments, an office and shared laundry facilities. Rehabilitation will include renovating the building to meet current building code, improving the overall efficiency of the building, and adding features, such as a group meeting space, that promote community-building among program participants.

$600,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds awarded by the Montana Department of Commerce and $650,000 in CDBG funds awarded by the City of Missoula would support the project. The estimated total cost of the project is about $4.1 million. Learn more in the EA and Section 104(d) Replacement Plan.