Housing in America: A Foundation in Montana

Stat: 49%: The share of Americans who say the availability of affordable housing in their local community is a major problem, compared to 39% in 2018.

Story: Montana has been rapidly attracting new residents for more than a decade and during the COVID-19 pandemic the pace only accelerated. Housing prices there have tripled in some cities just as in many other states that have seen an influx of people.

In this episode, we hear from Montana state lawmakers Daniel and Katie Zolnikov about the bipartisan legislation they championed to address rising concerns about access to housing. And Indigenous advocates in Montana, Jody Cahoon Perez, Tonya Plummer, and Patrick Yawakie, discuss how they’re helping their Tribal communities seek more affordable and culturally appropriate housing.

Related Resources:

• Bipartisan Hope for Affordable Housing Emerges in the West
• Support for Policies That Promote More Housing Crosses Geographic Lines
• Daniel Zolnikov Speaks About Housing at the Montana House Local Government Committee Meeting
• Barriers to Buying: Salish and Kootenai Envision Homeownership for Their Middle Class