Missoula is suffering from a Crisis- Level Housing Market

  • For Renters and Homebuyers Alike, Homes in Missoula Are Less Affordable Than Ever

    In just the last three years, the median home prices have risen from $347,000 to $530,000.

    Meanwhile, rents have skyrocketed, the median monthly rent sitting at $1,044 per person, over 300 dollars more than the median just 10 years ago.

  • Unfortunately, Missoula Has a Massive Under-Supply of Housing (to the tune of 2000-4000 units!)

    To address current and future housing needs, the city has estimated Missoula will need to produce 1,100 - 1,500 units per year for the next 10 years, though the city permitted only 603 units in 2023.

    Clearly there is a mismatch between our urgent need for housing and actual housing approval and production. 

  • Missoula's Zoning Code Is Only Making It Harder To Address These Issues

    Though our housing needs have been rapidly evolving, builders and developers have been significantly limited in what kind of housing they can actually create in our city.

    Currently, 64% of Missoula’s land is zoned for single family or duplex homes only, restricting development of more diverse kinds of housing (like multi-dwellings and mixed use buildings) to only 36% of the Missoula area.

The 2025 Zoning Code Reform is an opportunity to change this:

Right now, we have a once in a lifetime opportunity to align our zoning code to our city’s needs. Take a look at our recommendations to do this, which have come directly from community conversations, rigorous research, industry experience, and zoning reform precedents across the country.

Diverse, abundant and affordable housing

We need all types of housing, and much more of it, to ensure middle-income Missoulians can afford homes without subsidy. There should be options for residents at all economic levels to ensure that the benefits of stable, affordable and accessible housing are available to all. Our current, outdated zoning policy continues to emphasize development of oversized single-family homes versus more compact and centrally located apartment, condominium, and cottage-style dwellings – the kind of dwellings well-suited to increasingly smaller households and seniors who want to downsize and sell or rent their larger homes to younger folks.

Compact, walkable and human scale neighborhoods

Social connection, human health, affordability, and the climate are all improved by prioritizing interconnected and walkable neighborhoods that are rich in services and amenities. While the focus on housing has often been on the number and cost of dwelling units, another opportunity provided by smart housing policy and development is the creation of wonderful and walkable neighborhoods.

Shared responsibility

We want diverse and abundant housing and small-scale business opportunities in all Missoula neighborhoods. No neighborhood should shoulder all the burden of housing our growing population. Every neighborhood should be able to grow and change to adapt to Missoula’s future needs.

Stronger financial and regulatory support for deeper levels of affordability

We recognize that increasing the supply of available housing alone will not serve all Missoulians, particularly those households which earn below the area median income. In addition to the above recommendations, we need tools to encourage the development of housing that is deeply and permanently affordable. Zoning code reform should create incentives that facilitate the development of more permanently affordable homes while continuing to maintain a progressive and rigorous volume of housing production overall.

Read our letter to the City

We ask that you our elected leaders step up to the challenge of this housing crisis, and move assertively and rapidly to finalize a new, progressive development code and approval process for Missoula.