Missoula Mayor Andrea Davis told the Northwest Community Land Trust Coalition that the city has released a new zoning framework and is moving to adopt a revised zoning code by December to allow smaller and more diverse housing types in more neighborhoods. "We've just released the new zoning framework as part of our whole brand new code reform effort," Davis said, describing three years of policy work that began with a 2019 housing policy.

Davis described several local financing tools the city is using to support affordable homeownership and partnerships with community land trusts. She said a private development deal will channel about $7 million to the city's affordable housing trust fund over a ten‑year period; the trust fund is intended to provide more flexible local dollars than some federal programs. She also cited a 2023 change to Montana's tax increment financing (TIF) statute that allows the city to use TIF for a workforce housing program.

Project example: Front Step partnership and 89 CLT homes
Davis said the city is a significant partner in an 89‑unit community land trust project under construction on Missoula's North Side with Front Step Community Land Trust. About half the homes—"a little over 45" by Davis' account—will be deed‑restricted at about 120% area median income; others will be market CLT units that remain on a ground‑lease model. The city also worked with the EPA and state Department of Environmental Quality on redeveloping a formerly industrial/shuttered site for housing.

Why it matters: The zoning and finance changes are meant to expand the range of housing types that can be built and to direct flexible local funding to CLTs and shared‑equity projects. Davis framed the policy package as one way to respond to rising housing costs and to preserve opportunities for workforce homeownership beyond the lowest AMI bands.

Outstanding details and limitations: Davis described the adopted policy direction and partnerships but did not present a specific municipal vote or final adopted ordinance at this session. She said code adoption is planned by December and gave income targeting and unit counts as working figures; exact affordability rules, construction timelines and the final funding schedule were described as in progress.

Speaker quoted (first reference with title): Andrea Davis, mayor of Missoula: "We've just released the new zoning framework as part of our whole brand new code reform effort."