If there is one issue that everyone in the country agrees on, it’s that we desperately need more new housing to be built. Everyone knows we need it but many states have too much red tape and regulations in place to get the job done quickly.
In the state of Montana, Republicans are leading the way. The GOP controlled House in the state is passing massive reforms to encourage the building of new housing, easing restrictions on things like parking.
Every state legislature should look at what’s happening here. This needs to be replicated everywhere.
The Sightline Institute reported:
House Bill 492, introduced by Rep. Katie Zolnikov (R-Billings), sets a high bar for other states pursuing parking reform. Beginning in October 2026, any home smaller than 1,200 square feet in Montana’s ten largest cities will be exempt from costly local parking mandates. Because more than 80 percent of apartments and condos in the United States are already smaller than 1,200 square feet, this effectively means that multifamily buildings in those cities will no longer be required to have any particular number of off-street parking spaces.
HB 492 also exempts small detached homes, all deed-restricted affordable housing, assisted living homes, and daycares. And it strikes down excessive parking mandates in many smaller cities, giving property owners there almost as much flexibility over how many parking spaces they need.
This is a major change for many of Montana’s fastest growing cities such as Bozeman, Missoula, and Whitefish—all of which currently require one to two parking spaces for every home. It’s hard to understate the potential impact of HB 492. A recent study found that eliminating parking minimums alone can boost new home construction by 40–70 percent.
People are talking about this on Twitter/X:
Last week, Montana voted to:
– legalize 6-story apartments on most commercial land
– sharply cut 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 pic.twitter.com/IyY2ftwdyd
— Michael Andersen (@andersem) April 25, 2025
Chicago, the city that invented the skyscraper can’t even get garden apartments approved. We’re being outdone by MONTANA? A state with a population 1/10th of Illinois? https://t.co/VmIIGWqeRz
— Miguel Chacon (@Chacon312) April 26, 2025
republicans in montana are currently passing more progressive, sustainable, pro-housing legislation than democratic supermajorities in New York and California https://t.co/4INE7dL6la
— sam (@sam_d_1995) April 26, 2025
It’s red states like Montana that are leading the way on housing reform: Cutting mandates, legalizing more homes, and standing up for working families. While blue states strangle growth, Montana is building a future of opportunity. https://t.co/G4ptC0nZxB
— Gavin M. Wax (@GavinWax) April 26, 2025
Republicans understand what is at stake.
Blue states send them their huddled masses who have been priced out by disastrous “community-driven” housing policy.
That displaced population gives republicans an advantage in presidential elections and congress.
Our turn @GovPritzker https://t.co/tkFEgUnWbo
— Michael McLean (@cornoisseur) April 26, 2025
This kind of reform is needed in every state. Make it easier to build more housing and the market will respond.
(Image:Source)
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