New Montanan owners face Lincoln's often overlooked economic obstacle

Re-opening the Montanan after four years may seem like a major challenge, but Greg Smith said one of the most vexing issues he and Julia Johnson have faced in the past couple months has simply been trying to find a place to rent in Lincoln.

The new owners of the Montanan Steakhouse had been splitting their time between Lincoln and Malta, but as the re-opening of the steakhouse approaches, Smith has remained in Lincoln, living in a camper.

With Lincoln rapidly becoming their home, Smith said they are in desperate need of a place they can rent for the time being, while they look for a home to buy.

“We just need something to get through,” he said.

Although not as obvious as some of the economic challenges Lincoln faces, Smith and Johnson find themselves up against a major impediment to attracting new, working age people to Lincoln: a shortage of rental properties set against a real estate market with too few mid-priced homes for sale.

According to the Blackfoot Watershed Economics Report produced by Headwaters Economics in 2014, a lack of affordable housing for either rent or purchase is considered a barrier to attracting and retraining families and young workers.

The report's findings were backed up by Smith, who said he has a couple potential employees from outside of Lincoln who are interest in moving here for work, but who have been put off making the jump due in part to the lack of affordable housing here.