Missoula’s code reform needs to provide real solutions that will more forcefully address our housing crisis.
Letter FAQs
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These recommendations represent the shared experience of builders, architects, activists and experts with decades of combined experience building projects in Missoula and beyond. Some of the recommendations are incremental increases in allowances designed to allow more types of projects in more neighborhoods. Some represent widely recognized national best practices.
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At its heart, zoning defines what types of projects can get built, how they are used and how they can sit on a given lot. Zoning also defines how many dwellings can be built on a given lot. Many times, zoning regulations are overly restrictive in places that people want to live, and there end up being few economically viable projects allowed and the projects that zoning codes do allow are expensive houses for high income folks. Zoning can also add time and unpredictability to the development process if there are rules which require subjective interpretations of rules or extensive public hearings. These factors increase developers costs and risk which push them to higher profit development types.
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In Spokane, it is now permanently legal to build residences with up to six units in any residential area, making way for more mixed-use projects and other facilities in all neighborhoods
In Edmonton, Alberta, the city council just passed a zoning bylaw that allows more housing types in more settings, including mandating three stories by right, allowing more mixed-use development, and reducing the number of administrative zones within the city
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This is a great question - and one that we put a lot of thought into while drafting our letter to the city! Here are some strategies that we propose to ensure that new developments are affordable:
Creating an affordability bonus program that enables greater production of permanently affordable homes.
Decreasing impact and building permit fees by at least 25% for permanently affordable housing development
Advocating for funding at the national, state, and local levels for subsidized housing.
Continuing to focus the Affordable Housing Trust Fund and other public dollars on permanently affordable housing, including deed-restricted units, community land trusts, and Housing Choice Voucher-eligible housing.
If the city agrees to implement these strategies and the other policies laid out in our letter, (fingers crossed!) we will work to hold them accountable to their promises.
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There are two ways this could happen - we could continue building mainly single family homes on large lots, and Missoula could proceed to sprawl at a rapid rate - OR - we could implement bold zoning code changes that would allow for the creation of denser and more diverse housing types on properties (and in parts of town) that already exist. We like the second option a lot more, which is why the zoning code that we are proposing would legalize more “infill” construction (example: the building of tiny homes and multi family dwellings in the yards of existing homes) and more units per parcels as land is redeveloped.
Have a different question?
Email us at info@prohousingmissoula.org
Community Testimonies
“Missoula’s “Euclidean” zoning is a legacy of the 1930’s. It harkens to a time when codes were often drawn on class lines -- designed as much to control who could live next to whom as to what kind of uses bumped into one another. Code modernization comes at a crucial time and the pro-housing work is important to our community. Our city needs to move beyond “one house on one lot” zones and needs to include zoning incentives that promote mixed income affordability for everyone.”
Bob Oaks , founder of North Missoula Community Development Corporation
“Missoula's current code structure is disjointed and complex and fails to meet the needs of a growing community to adapt to modern demands. Our City has the opportunity to create a progressive, unified code that provides a diversity of development types in an understandable, predictable, and easily implementable manner. Taking a bold approach is essential for addressing the housing crisis and associated development pressures.”
Alan McCormick, Land Use Attorney, Member of OMCAG
“The vision laid out by Pro Housing Missoula is not only comprehensive and well-informed - it’s exciting! I can say from a variety of firsthand experiences that housing stability for both families and individuals makes a huge difference when it comes to one’s ability to connect with and contribute to the community. The sooner we can ensure folks’ ability to live, grow, and grow old here, the better. Love you, Missoula, it’s time to get your shit together.”
Chloe Runs Behind, Youth Action Board member, Community Organizer
“I support a progressive code modernization because it is the only way we can get back to a reasonable level of affordability in this great city of ours. ”
Keith Miller, UpSlope
