New housing construction isn’t keeping pace with Montana’s growing population. That’s according to research from the Pew Charitable Trusts presented to Montana lawmakers Monday in a committee studying the state’s long-term changing economics and demographics.
Pew finds that Montana’s population increased 10% during the last decade but new housing during that same time increased 7%. Low housing supply is reducing affordable places to live, and Pew reports rising rents are linked to growing homelessness.
According to the analysis, homelessness in Montana has increased by more than 34% since 2007.
