Through the Montana Department of Commerce the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) has awarded funds to eight local governments and sub-awarded to non-profit organizations to carryout program activities that have acquired foreclosed properties, rehabilitated the properties and sold them to income-eligible households. One example of a successful NSP activity is that of a Community Action Partnerships (CAP) project in Kalispell which has helped Jim Marty to continue to working as a local contractor in Kalispell.

Jim Marty moved to the Flathead Valley in 1999 from Wyoming.  He has been in the home inspection business for the last 14 years.  He was selected as the home inspector for the Neighborhood Stabilization Program through an RFP process. This process also allowed for other federal programs (Medicaid Waiver and Senior Home Repair) to utilize Jim’s expertise. He works with a pool of contractors also chosen through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process so that as many individuals as possible benefit from the work associated with these programs.  He also donates his time speaking at CAP’s first time homebuyer classes.

In Jim’s words, “Home inspection volume is directly related to the general housing market, which has experienced a downturn lately.  The opportunity to perform a substantial number of inspections for the NSP and other federal programs helped me maintain my income through this slow time.”

Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP)