From Neighborhood Defender to Housing Advocate - Flathead Beacon Whitefish neighborhood defender, that is what I used to think of myself. When I served on city council in from 2004-2007, I believed my role was to protect neighborhoods, and the people I considered…

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

When Driving Is Not an Option: Steering Away from Car Dependency | Sightline Institute Book Talk: When Driving Is Not an Option A discussion on accessible transportation and city planning with author and advocate Anna Zivarts. Thursday, February 19th, 6:30 p.m.–8:00 p.m, Missoula, MT.  ...

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

BOOK TALK When Driving Is Not an Option Thursday, Feb. 19 @ 6:30 p.m. in Missoula, MT A discussion on accessible transportation and city planning with author and advocate Anna Zivarts. Illustration of people waiting at a bus stop by Amara S. for Island Press; headshot of Zivarts smiling

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.

I don’t claim to understand Seattle city government but maybe your mayor isn’t actually pro-housing? Like if the parks director refused to unlock all the rec centers and pools, a pro-parks mayor would fire that person.

It truly is. $130k a year is a couple, each making the average wage at Costco.

Cherry gulch this morning

Missoula looks to increase housing with new zoning regulations The new code allows for increased development in more areas of the city, making way for the thousands of units needed to meet demand over the next two decades.

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

Council votes to remove all parking requirements for new Missoula developments If the change carries through final approval of the larger code document, Missoula will become the first city in Montana to eliminate parking requirements for all new development.

Congrats, Missoula! 🥳

A closer look at Montana's housing "miracle" Two Montana senators explain how they made housing reform work across party lines.

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

kids car seat: IF ONLY WE APPLIED THE SAME LEVEL OF DESIGN, TESTING, SCRUTINY AND REGULATION USED FOR OUR CHILDREN'S CAR SEATS Parent and kid biking: TO THE BIKE LANES THEY RIDE TO SCHOOL IN.

scrutiny.

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

Justice Department Files Religious Liberty Lawsuit Against Troy, Idaho for Discriminating Against a Small Christian Church The Justice Department filed a lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Idaho alleging that the City of Troy, Idaho, violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons A...

The former seems to be picking up steam across the West. www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justi...

Back to basics Plus: California zoning bill survives powerful lawmaker's economic illiteracy, Montana legislators pass simple, sweeping, supply-side housing reforms, and Washington passes rent control.

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...

Missoula's spectrUM Discovery Area loses major funding source The Trump administration's seemingly indiscriminate cuts reach Missoula's spectrUM Discovery Area, stripping the nonprofit science center of two $250,000 federal grants.

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

MAP unfortunately opposed most pro-housing bills— parking reform, relaxed height limits, fourplexes.

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

Metro Denver apartment market erases two years of rent increases Developers continue to deliver so many new apartments that vacancy rates have reached a 16-year high.

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.

Montana's Housing Miracle Strikes Twice | Sightline Institute Bipartisan efforts won a string of bills for more homes, lower costs, and less red tape for Montanans—with lessons for other states.

More incredible housing policy from ... Montana.

Montana's Housing Miracle Strikes Twice | Sightline Institute Bipartisan efforts won a string of bills for more homes, lower costs, and less red tape for Montanans—with lessons for other states.

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