Housing

died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 761: Revise laws regarding residential covenants

HB 761 revises laws regarding residential property covenants, aiming to protect property owners' rights. It prevents the enforcement of any new or amended restrictions on property use that are more restrictive than those that existed when the owner acquired the property, unless the owner provides express written consent. Owners claiming this protection must record their exception with the county clerk. The bill clarifies how these protections apply to successor owners and maintains the validity of existing covenants, except for newly imposed, more restrictive terms without consent.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly protects property owners' rights regarding residential covenants, directly addressing 'property rights' within the housing topic as defined.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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died · Montana · House May 20, 2025

HB 871: Revise requirements to connect to municipal water/sewer system

HB 871 aimed to prevent municipalities from requiring a zoning change, specifically from single-family to multi-family, for parcels of land located outside city limits to connect to municipal water or sewer systems. It would have amended existing law to explicitly prohibit this requirement. The bill also included a $1,000 appropriation to the Department of Environmental Quality for updating related documents. This measure would have primarily affected property owners outside city boundaries seeking to access municipal utility services.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingRemoves zoning barrier for multi-family development outside city limits, facilitating housing projects and aligning with affordable housing development goals.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

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signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 931: Allow for nonprofit development and management of attainable workforce housing on state lands

HB 931 clarifies that developing single-family or multifamily residential housing can be considered a commercial purpose for leasing state trust land. The bill specifically allows nonprofit corporations to lease state trust land to develop "attainable workforce housing." It revises the definition of "commercial purpose" within state law to include such residential developments under a master lease. This change aims to enable the creation of housing for workers on state-owned land.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill explicitly enables nonprofit development of workforce housing on state lands, directly advancing affordable housing access for workers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 920: Provide property tax exemption for senior care facilities and housing

HB 920 establishes a temporary property tax exemption for new senior care facilities and housing development projects. Tax-exempt non-profit organizations sponsoring these projects must first petition a local government, which determines if there is a "compelling need" for the project through a public hearing. If approved by the local government, the sponsor can then apply to the department of revenue for the exemption. This bill aims to encourage the development of various affordable housing and care options for seniors aged 55 or 62 and older.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides property tax exemption for senior care facilities, reducing tax burden for affordable housing development.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill provides tax exemption for senior care facilities to encourage development of affordable housing, directly improving access to senior healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill provides tax exemption for senior housing development, explicitly aiming to encourage affordable housing construction through local need assessments.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · House May 19, 2025

HB 492: Revise municipal zoning laws related to parking requirements

HB 492 revises municipal zoning laws by setting new limits on the minimum parking space requirements local governments can impose on new developments. The bill generally caps required parking for residential units at one space per unit and for commercial spaces at one space per 5,000 square feet, with specific exemptions for certain types of projects like affordable housing or smaller commercial spaces. If a city or town chooses to require more parking than these new limits, it must compensate the developer or property owner for the real cost of constructing the additional spaces. This legislation directly affects municipal zoning authorities and developers within those areas.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingExempts affordable housing from parking mandates, reducing development costs and advancing affordable housing goals through zoning reform.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 243: Amend zoning regulations to allow taller buildings

SB 243 amends state zoning laws to allow for increased housing density and building height in certain municipalities. In urban areas with populations over 5,000, it requires cities to permit multiple-unit dwellings and mixed-use developments in commercial zones, provided they have municipal water and sewer. For these developments, the bill limits parking requirements to no more than one space per unit and prohibits height restrictions below 60 feet in specific commercial and industrial zones. Furthermore, it mandates that cities with at least 5,000 residents allow duplex housing in areas zoned for single-family residences, with similar zoning regulations.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill removes zoning barriers (height restrictions, parking limits) to increase housing density and permit multi-unit developments, directly advancing housing development in urban areas.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 337: Provide a 5 year prepaid property tax exemption during subdivision development

SB 337 creates a temporary property tax exemption for land undergoing residential subdivision development. Developers can qualify by applying to the department and prepaying five times the most recent annual property taxes and assessments for the property. This exemption applies to the real property within the subdivision for up to five years, or until a habitable dwelling is built on an individual lot, or until 95% of the lots in the subdivision contain habitable dwellings. The bill's provisions apply to property tax years beginning after December 31, 2025.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill incentivizes new housing construction via tax exemption for developers, directly advancing residential subdivision development and increasing housing supply.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 16, 2025

SB 532: Revise county zoning to allow accessory dwelling units

SB 532 revises county zoning laws to require counties with zoning regulations to allow accessory dwelling units (ADUs) on lots with existing single-family homes. It mandates that counties permit at least one ADU "by right," meaning without requiring special permits or public hearings, and sets size limits for detached or attached units. The bill prohibits counties from imposing certain restrictions on ADUs, such as requiring additional parking, owner occupancy, or specific exterior designs. Counties may charge a one-time application fee for reviewing ADU applications and must comply with expedited sanitation review provisions.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingMandates counties to allow ADUs on single-family lots without special permits, increasing housing supply and affordability by removing zoning barriers.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 133: Revise impact fee laws

SB 133 revises the laws governing impact fees that local governments charge on new development. The bill removes the ability for governmental entities to include an administrative fee within impact charges and limits impact fee increases to the rate of inflation. It also updates definitions related to these fees and details the required documentation for their calculation, such as a service area report.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesLimits local government impact fee increases to inflation, restricting revenue generation for infrastructure projects and limiting fiscal flexibility.85% confidence ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill limits impact fee increases to inflation and removes administrative fees, reducing development costs to encourage housing construction, aligning with housing supply goals.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing

signed · Montana · House May 8, 2025

HB 416: Require homeowners' associations to seek permission for entry on real property

HB 416 requires homeowners' associations (HOAs) to obtain permission from property owners before an HOA agent may enter their private real property. When seeking permission, the HOA must propose a convenient date and time for the owner and specify which part of the property the agent needs to access. Property owners have the option to require their presence or their agent's presence during the HOA's entry. This bill clarifies rules for HOA access to private property, but it does not affect access to areas generally open to the public like sidewalks.

Topics ✓ HousingSupports HousingBill clarifies HOA access rules to protect property owner rights, directly addressing housing topic's property rights component without ambiguity.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Housing