By Kathleen Shannon - Producer, Contact - News
Big Sky Connection - The Montana Legislature has tabled some housing bills and passed others so far this session. A group that empowers young people to participate in the political process held a recent virtual training on how to provide effective public comment, on these and other bills. Comments by Sage Bennett, housing organizer, Forward Montana; and John Bazant [buh-ZANT], state legislative coordinator, Forward Montana.
Click on the image above for the audio. Montana Senate Bill 243, to amend zoning regulations to allow taller buildings, passed a second reading in the Senate on Friday. (Roman Babakin/Adobe Stock)
Kathleen Shannon
March 3, 2025 - Legislative bills on housing have seen mixed results in Montana so far this session.
A state nonprofit group held an online training on how to provide public comment about those bills - aimed at young people, for whom affordable housing is a major challenge.
Montana's population grew by over 36,000 people between 2020 and early 2024, creating massive housing shortages and skyrocketing prices.
Sage Bennett, housing organizer with the advocacy group Forward Montana, said providing written comments on bills or verbal comments during hearings can help expand others' worldviews.
"You don't have to be a policy expert to share testimony," said Bennett. "That's what our elected officials are there to understand. And we are there to provide comment, to be able to have them understand the real world impacts that these policies have on us."
Housing-related bills working their way through the Legislature include one to amend zoning laws to allow taller buildings, and another to establish a grant program to create permanent supportive housing for people dealing with homelessness.
A bill to provide some renters the first right to buy a property if their landlord intends to sell was tabled last week.
Those who want to comment online must create an account and register for a bill hearing at least two hours in advance.
Forward Montana's State Legislative Coordinator John Bazant said commenters should come prepared, but be flexible, as time allotments for comments may change.
"This one-minute warning beep can be pretty jarring and it will probably interrupt you," said Bazant. "And then because it can depend on how long they give you for your testimony, having a long version and a short version is a ton of help."
According to the Montana Budget and Policy Center, workers paid the state's $10.55 minimum wage would have to work 80 to 90 hours per week to afford fair-market rent for a two-bedroom apartment in Flathead, Gallatin, Missoula, and three other counties.
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