Housing Whitefish Executive Director Shares Workforce Housing Insights at Statewide Conference

Billings, MT – May 21, 2025 — Housing Whitefish Executive Director Daniel Sidder joined housing leaders from across the state at the annual Montana Housing Partnership Conference, held May 19–21 at the Billings Hotel & Convention Center. Sidder co-presented with David O’Connor, Executive Director of Big Sky Housing Trust, to share key lessons learned from their respective organizations’ efforts to expand workforce housing in Montana.

Their session focused on practical insights from local workforce housing initiatives—highlighting what’s working, what challenges remain, and how communities can move from vision to action. Drawing on the experience of Housing Whitefish and Big Sky Housing Trust, Sidder and O’Connor emphasized the importance of community partnerships, sustainable funding models, and locally tailored solutions that address the specific needs of Montana’s workforce.

The Montana Housing Partnership Conference is a cornerstone event for affordable housing professionals, developers, policymakers, and advocates from across the state and beyond. Each year, participants come together to explore innovative strategies, share best practices, and collaborate on the future of housing in Montana. This year’s conference theme centered around creative partnerships and building lasting housing solutions in both urban and rural communities.

“It was an honor to represent Whitefish and share what we’ve learned,” said Sidder. “There’s a lot of innovation happening across the state, and it’s clear that when we work together—across sectors and communities—we can make real progress in addressing Montana’s housing challenges.”

Housing Whitefish is committed to advancing affordable and workforce housing opportunities in the Whitefish area through education, advocacy, and strategic housing development. Presentations like this one are part of a broader effort to amplify local voices and drive positive change throughout the state.

For more information about Housing Whitefish and upcoming initiatives, visit housingwhitefish.org.