Gov. Gianforte Announces Increase in Supply of Single-Family Homes

Report shows Montana leads the nation in increasing housing supply - Map produced by the National Association of Home Builders showing the percent change in single-family home permits by state; Photo credit: National Association of Home Builders

HELENA, Mont. – Governor Greg Gianforte today announced a new report from the National Association of Home Builders reveals Montana leads the nation as the state with the highest year-over-year increase in single-family home permits.

“In Montana, we are seeing the results of our work to increase the supply of affordable, attainable housing,” Gov. Gianforte said. “By streamlining local government permitting, home builders are able to more quickly respond to the demands of our growing communities.”

The National Association of Home Builders is a Washington, D.C.-based trade association representing over 140,000 members in the residential construction industry, including builders and developers. In a recent study, the association reported that, at the state level, seven states recorded year-over-year increases in single-family permits in January, with gains ranging from 25.5 percent in Montana to 0.4 percent in Washington with the remaining 42 states and the District of Columbia reported declines.

Increasing the supply of housing has been a top priority for Gov. Gianforte as homebuilding in Montana was not keeping up with demand. Spearheading efforts to resolve the housing supply shortage, the governor launched a diverse, bipartisan Housing Task Force in July 2022. The Task Force produced three reports that identified problems at the root of the state’s housing shortage and provided solutions that could be implemented administratively or through changes to law.

The task force’s recommendations provided a roadmap for lawmakers ahead of the 2023 legislative session, leading to the historic pro-housing reforms adopted in Montana that some have dubbed the “Montana Miracle.”

Delivering on task force recommendations, the governor signed into law several reforms that streamlined permitting. Through the Montana Land Use Planning Act, sponsored by Sen. Forrest Mandeville, R-Columbus, the state required local governments to reform zoning regulations. Another bill sponsored by Sen. Mandeville streamlined local government review requirements and requires local jurisdictions to review an application for a division of land within 20 days.

To view the report from the National Association of Home Builders, go here.