Housing in the news
Supply Reforms Put Housing on the Agenda, Even in Red States (Shelterforce)
“Missoula released its zoning code overhaul in response to statewide changes in early 2026, and Palmer says Front Step has started reviewing its potential projects in light of the new code; the first thing her organization noticed was that the number of units they can build on one of their sites had doubled.”
Missoula’s Zoning Reform Raises the Bar for Small Cities (Sightline, by ProHousing Missoula advocate Danny Tennenbaum)
“Missoula’s new code goes further, arguably, than any other similarly sized US city: It allows multi-family housing in all neighborhoods. It removes caps on the density of homes in most areas. It eliminates requirements for off-street parking everywhere. Most remarkably, small-scale mixed-use developments, like restaurants and shops with apartments above, are now legal on every parcel in the city.”
States Across the U.S. Spur Policy Changes to Build More Housing (Furman Center)
“In Montana, coalition-building has also been critical to the success of recent reform efforts. Brittany Palmer, Executive Director of Front Step Community Land Trust, said the passage of the Montana Land Use and Planning Act, or MLUPA, in 2023, was a big step in building a bipartisan coalition. By being flexible and identifying overlapping interests, the coalition was able to bring together property rights and housing affordability advocates to require cities to plan for future growth as part of the first land use policy framework of its kind in the state.”
Cashing in: Across Montana, mobile home courts fall prey to out-of-state investors (Missoulian)
“At many mobile home courts that were recently purchased by out-of-state investors, rents have gone up at a much higher rate than they did under previous owners. For example, at Travois Village and Harvey's, both in Missoula County, their new landlord Oak Wood Properties raised lot rents from $325 in 2023 to nearly $800 in 2025. … Residents at a few of the communities across the state have formed tenants unions, with the goal of pushing back against rate hikes.”
We also recommend checking out The Montana Budget and Policy Center’s Housing Affordability Map, which is an incredible resource.