East Helena, Habitat to apply for innovative Rose Hills financing

Piper Heath, Reporter

January 23, 2026

bc8afc2b90bf86a6cabdec25dd806610 — The planned Rose Hills development, shown in bright green in the lower left of this East Helena map (Courtesy of Habitat for Humanity).

East Helena’s City Council voted unanimously Tuesday to apply for a novel infrastructure financing tool for Habitat for Humanity’s planned Rose Hills housing development.

If approved by the Montana Board of Investments, East Helena would be the first city in Montana to use the financing bond created by House Bill 505 during the 2025 legislative session, according to officials.

The vote marks “a significant milestone for Rose Hills and for East Helena,” Madeline Forbis, communications director for Helena Area Habitat for Humanity, said in a statement.