No one said it was easy to develop in the city-- any city. The process is complicated and fraught with obstacles, most of which are merely meant to ensure residents and tax payers that new development meets standards set by the city.  In Helena, the staff at the Department of Community Development, under the guidance of Director Sharon Haugen, works diligently to help move the process along, coordinating with other departments and public entities to document every aspect of development for compliance with city regulations, conditions and standards before final plat approval.  This includes coordinating with Public Works, Legal, Parks and Recreation, Community Development, Fire, Police, Finance (lighting district) and the Addressing Coordinator.  The final plat is also reviewed by the Lewis and Clark County review committee and the Examining Land Surveyor as well as the Department of Environmental Control. If there is a utility easement on the property, such as the Yellowstone Pipe Line Co. easement, the staff contacts them as well.  A representative of the staff then presents recommendations from the joint staff effort to the City Commissioners who must vote to approve or deny the final plat for development. On May 22, Developer Mark Runkle, and his wife, Director of Design Rebecca Ryland attended the Commissioners' meeting that would determine final plat approval of Phase I of The Uplands, a new neighborhood containing 22 residential building lots in their Mountain View Meadows subdivision. City Planner II, Lucy Morell-Gengler, who has worked in the Department of Community Development for about seventeen years, presented the staff recommendations, which, in this case, included annexation in addition to final plat which also required review for action by the Commission. "Most of the documentation for the City Commission is prepared by the City Attorney with Public Works providing much of the information," explained Morell-Gengler. "I prepare a memo and presentation that combines these comments and try to show the relationship between the various land use actions (typically zoning, annexation, and subdivision) and compliance with the city regulations, conditions and standards. The fun/challenging part of the presentation," she added, "is to try and make it understandable to someone who has no idea what a 'final plat' is." Runkle was quick to thank Morell-Gengler following the Commissioners' unanimous vote to approve final plat.  "Her work is far from easy," said Runkle, "and we are very fortunate to have her represent the staff in such a professional way."  Ryland, who marvels at Morell-Gengler's command of details and her ability to skillfully present the complex aspects of the development to the Commissioners, quickly agreed. "Lucy is amazing!" 

What are your plans on June 9 ^th and 10 ^th?  Even if you have not been training for a distance run, you can sign up to participate in the Governor's Cup for free and support local kids in crisis.  Each year, the Run 4 Kids team raises funds to ensure kids in care with Helena Youth Homes have the help, care and support they need to heal and become healthy.  Members of this team meet at 1200 N Last Chance Gulch on June 10 and run or walk the Governor's Cup full or half marathon, 10k or 5k to help make a difference in the lives of vulnerable children in our community. In support of Run 4 Kids, Mountain View Meadows' neighbor Cathy Cullen is running the 10K, and her husband Joe is running the half marathon. Next year, they would like to organize a Mountain View Meadows team, so be sure to reach out if you would be interested in participating!   For more information on The Governor's Cup and Run 4 Kids, go to http://youthhomesmt.org/blog/run-4-kids-helena/ or http://www.govcupmt.com/.  

From Trulia to a plethora of mortgage websites to NPR's Marketplace, the financial world is offering advice on co-signing an adult child's loan to buy a home.  Some Baby Boomers are concerned that whatever inheritance they plan to pass on to their kids will come too late to actually help them when they need it most.  They see their children struggling to pay down student loans and their grandkids growing up in cramped apartments or leased homes where the monthly rent can be as high as or higher than a mortgage payment.  But is co-signing a loan for an adult child who already has a large debt to income ratio and no down payment worth the risk? 

The reality is, if you co-sign a loan and your child stops paying, you become the responsible party.  Before co-signing for a mortgage, be sure you can assume the payments on top of your own mortgage, monthly expenditures and other financial responsibilities. If you can't pick up the slack, a foreclosure or other action by the lender after missed payments will definitely affect your credit score.  Perhaps even more damaging is the effect this can have on the parent and child relationship.

On the other hand, if you are financially able, you will be giving your child a step up in the world. "Having their own home to take care of while building equity is a good thing," says Lee Nelson in an article published on MyMortgageInsider.com. "Plus while paying the mortgage each and every month, they will be building a better credit history which can eventually allow him/her to refinance the loan that you co-signed and get a loan on their own."

 

A 2016 survey by the National Association of Realtors showed that 60 percent of first-time homebuyers are finding it hard to get a mortgage and the majority of those are millennials. Parents who have the financial means themselves can opt to say yes to co-signing. "But you need to look at all possibilities and make your decision on that," says Keith Krop, owner, mortgage planner and consultant at Eroica Financial Services, Irving, Texas.

 

Krop goes on to list several additional advantages to co-signing an adult child's loan to purchase his or her own home:

• Your child/grandchild can live in a better, safer neighborhood: Everyone likes feeling safe and having a sense of place.  Feeling good about your neighbors and the place you live improves self-esteem and lends to a more positive outlook on life.
• You get your own home back: In 2015, the Pew Research Center found that nearly half of males ages 18 to 34 live with family, and 36.4% of women in that age group live at home -- the highest percentage since the 1940s. Sometimes, parents just want to be empty nesters again and have their privacy. By co-signing a mortgage, your child moves out.
• You'll have a property to sell: Even if all goes sideways and your adult child can't make payments, you can end up selling the house -- hopefully for a profit as home values are going up in most areas of the country.

A choice of new homes to meet your lifestyle and budget are ready for move-in at Mountain View Meadows with more under construction.  Visit our Information & Sales Office at 431 S. Alice Street to tour our right-now homes, view plans to build and check out lot maps. Realtors always welcome. Have your own plan? Give us a call at 406-449-0800 to arrange a meeting.  The availability of new homes and lots is subject to change so check back often. Below is a listing of some of the new homes ready for move-in or currently under construction.