by Rep Katie Zolnikov
and Sen Jason Small
It’s no secret that Montana has been facing a housing crisis for some time now. That’s one of our top priorities at the legislature this session. We’ve already heard several bills that are designed to address the growing housing problem, and hopefully give us more tools to fight the problem. Whether it’s redefining minimum lot sizes or making it possible to subdivide your property for your children and parents, there are many bills on the way that are going to help get the situation under control.
House Bill 337, sponsored by Representative Katie Zolnikov from Billings, works to revise the minimum lot size that can be subdivided to build a single-family home. SB 337 would prevent municipalities from requiring a minimum lot size over 2500 square feet. This should make the dream of home ownership more of a reality for many Montanans. The larger lot sizes mean larger prices for the houses, putting home ownership out of reach for many.
There are also a number of Senate Bills that address the housing issue. Senate Bill 158, sponsored by Senate President Jason Ellsworth, would allow families to transfer ownership of properties located within subdivisions to their children or parents. This is a pro-housing and pro-family piece of legislation. It’s about giving Montanans more freedom to help their family members find a place to live.
Senate Bill 245, sponsored by Senator Daniel Zolnikov from Billings, would reform Montana’s zoning laws to encourage multifamily housing and mixed-use developments in urban areas with existing water and sewer systems. SB 245 would apply only to Montana’s larger towns and cities with populations over 7,000.
Senate Bill 130, sponsored by Senator Forrest Mandeville from Columbus, allows counties to consolidate planning boards, zoning commissions, and boards of adjustment into a single land use board. SB 130 would streamline the process and therefore reduce the time it takes to finish a housing project, which should allow construction of more residences.
Senate Bill 131, also sponsored by Senator Mandeville, creates a deadline for local governments to approve or deny exempt subdivisions. SB 131 would again streamline the process by limiting the amount of time it takes to get approval for a subdivision, letting builders know sooner if they can build.
It is clear that Montanans are feeling the growing housing crisis, and that it needs to be addressed. We at the legislature are looking at this with a very close eye. One bill alone is not going to resolve our problem; there isn’t a one size fits all solution to the housing crisis. That’s why we are preparing several different options to help Montanans have the most opportunities possible to find housing, and to help the most people possible realize the American Dream and become homeowners.
