This is incredible

Many big quasi-progressive cities being shown up by... Missoula, pop 78k.

Now legal in Missoula: ADUs, over-garage homes, apartments, small-scale multiplexes. Mixed use on every parcel. Costly off-street parking mandates gone. The new code doesn't just lead Montana... it shows up almost every similarly sized city in the US. @dannytenenbaum.bsky.social

It's never too late to support pro-housing policy! Here's what changed this neighborhood defender's mind ⬇️

Love to see other states ctrl+c the ‘Montana Miracle’

Ride in a bike lane and glance into every car that you pass and you'll see an extremely high percentage of people staring at their phones. It's terrible and frightening

Montana! Come see my book talk in Missoula next week! Feb 19 at Free Cycles Streetside Learning Center.

Missoula — join us Feb. 19 at Free Cycles to talk transpo with @nondriver.bsky.social! 🚲🚌👩‍🦽More info: www.sightline.org/when-driving...

2026 is starting out strong for parking reform as a couple prominent college towns repeal *all* of their parking mandates: let's hear it for Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and Missoula, Montana!

Missoula, Montana has just: - Eliminated single family zoning - Eliminated parking requirements citywide - Allows 100-125' of height in many of its mixed-use zones with no limits on density or FAR Why is Missoula so much more progressive than Los Angeles?

Honestly, we in the Intermountain Northwest should just be put in charge of all zoning nationwide.

Cherry gulch this morning

The Missoula City Council Monday approved a new zoning code, map and development requirements, all aimed at increasing housing throughout the city.

Congrats, Missoula! 🥳

Today on Volts: Montana has suffered from a severe housing crisis. In response, over the last two sessions, the legislature passed a series of sweeping housing reforms, everything from legalizing ADUs and duplexes to getting rid of parking mandates. How did they do it? I talk with two leg leaders.

This is my ballot, but it’s also the objective truth—the top ten movies of the 21st century:

One bit of urbanism that caught my imagination and I've always remembered: Design a city that works for women -- where women can move freely & independently, without fear -- and you will have a city that works for everyone.

While GOP governors from Montana and Vermont sign groundbreaking pro-housing reforms into law, some Dem governors still ask "how high?" when wealthy NIMBYs say "jump!" Embarrassing. #mtpol

Props to Rep. Troy Downing for teaming up with a small # of Republicans and Democrats in Congress to oppose this expensive, protectionist bill. #mtpol

scrutiny.

An excellent essay that might make you think differently about the future worksinprogress.co/issue/making...

In #Montana, lawmakers have built on last session's housing reforms (the so-called "Montana Miracle") with the passage of a slew of bills that pare back local parking minimums and height limits, while capping impact fees charged on new housing developments." reason.com/2025/04/29/b...

Cruel and dumb. thepulp.org/missoulas-sp...

Bike lanes are one of very few government policies that gives people actual joy

Denver is building so many new apartments that vacancy rates reached a 16-year high and the average rent has fallen below levels seen two years ago, according to the Apartment Association of Metro Denver. The average apartment rent in metro Denver fell to $1,819 in the first quarter.

More incredible housing policy from ... Montana.

Montana is leading the nation on pro-housing policy — but not by accident.

Last week, Montana voted to: - legalize 6-story apartments on most commercial land - sharply cut multifamily parking mandates - limit excess impact fees - cut condo defect liability - require equal treatment for manufactured homes - legalize single-stair buildings up to 6 stories statewide

In both 2023 and 2025, Montana and Washington state showed that red and blue states alike can aggressively tackle America's nationwide housing shortage through bipartisan coalitions and a firm commitment to solving the problem through proven best practices. The rest of the country should take heed.

Building housing is good.

Also: - ADUs now legal in counties & cities - no more local gov NIMBYism against manufactured housing - Construction defect reform - Requiring professional (not volunteer) review in historical preservation process All with bipartisan support. Just a bad year to be a NIMBY in Montana. 😆

Hard to overstate the impact of HB 492, which passed the Montana legislature yesterday without fanfare. Cities like Bozeman, Missoula, Helena and Whitefish now have until Oct 2026 to eliminate their costly off-street parking mandates. The “let’s study it some more” excuse is off the table. #mtpol

Led by @shelterwf.bsky.social, a second wave of pro-housing bills just passed in Montana: - Legalized apartments up to 60 ft. in commercial zones - Enacted major statewide parking reform - Legalized single-stair up to 6 stories - Capped impact fees increases. It's another Montana Miracle!

New paper on Auckland finds that city's upzoning produced a big increase in government-supported housing development; this increase was actually larger than that of market-rate development. Lends credence to the argument that zoning reform is a complement to public housing development strategies.

“Our little town relies on tourism. And I can envision people using the train to get to our beautiful area.” Bill would appropriate $2M/year for Big Sky Rail Authority to support plan for passengers through Montana. @jordyhansen.bsky.social: dailymontanan.com/2025/03/27/e... #mtnews #mtpol #mtleg

New paper! Wildlife crossings are a win-win, protecting motorists and increasing wildlife resilience to climate change by reducing mortality and reconnecting habitats. We review how crossings support adaptation and offer siting/design considerations to maximize benefits. ➡️ tinyurl.com/tt48caxk 🧪🌎