Renovated apartments in Belgrade offer affordable housing for seniors

BELGRADE, Mont. – The Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) is celebrating the renovation of the Colorado Apartments in Belgrade. This housing, owned by HRDC for nearly 30 years, had not been updated since 1998. 

The Colorado Apartments have undergone a complete refreshment, extending their lifespan for another 30 years. Lila Fleishman, HRDC's community development manager, emphasized the importance of this housing for seniors living on low or fixed incomes. 

"There's not a lot of apartments that rent for less than $1,000 a month. So, when seniors or really anyone in our community loses their housing or needs a new lease or something, options are really limited. So, it's important to invest and preserve the housing that we have that's meeting this need, particularly seniors.” 

The buildings now feature new siding, roofing, and insulation. Inside, everything has been modernized, including new flooring, altered layouts, upgraded appliances, heating systems and added air conditioning. 

Fleishman says the HRDC leveraged several programs to make these renovations possible. The renovation was funded by the Montana Department of Commerce’s “HOME” program, the Rural Local Initiative Support Corporation, and a low-interest loan from the City of Belgrade. 

The renovation cost totaled $668,000, which HRDC views as an investment in the community to keep residents in the valley who might otherwise be priced out. 

HRDC has several similar projects in the pipeline, including one in Livingston.