Housing

Gov. Greg Gianforte was in Butte Wednesday to tout his Administration's efforts to construct new affordable housing. He also called on lawmakers to allocate $100 million to build more homes.

People on fixed incomes hoping to apply for Montana’s property tax assistance program will need to get their paperwork in by April 15. Qualifying applicants could receive a reduced property tax rate of up to 80 percent on the first $350,000 of their home’s market value.

Montana lawmakers recently passed a bill that will allow communities with a resort tax to fund workforce housing to help Montanans live where they work.

Missoula will shut down one of its two homeless shelters. Mayor Andrea Davis Friday announced her decision citing the end of one-time federal pandemic aid. The move will leave more than 150 people seeking a place to stay.

Montana officials recently laid out a plan to address housing affordability in the state. Despite rising costs, federal funding for housing aid could remain flat.

A Gallatin County judge Monday ruled that a slate of housing reform laws passed by the 2023 Legislature are constitutional.

The annual housing report from the Missoula Organization of Realtors depicted a mixed bag of results for 2024. Missoula mortgage lender Matt Gehr summarized it this way. “We do have an affordability issue, but it’s not continuing to get worse.”

A Flathead Valley homeless shelter has settled its lawsuit against Kalispell for revoking its permit. The Kalispell City Council effectively closed the Flathead Warming Center’s doors to overnight guests.

Federal housing assistance is not keeping pace with rising rents in Montana, leaving low income residents with few available options.

Montana Democrats this week unveiled plans to boost housing affordability, with a specific focus on renters.