Targeted Economic Development District Workforce Housing Program Guidelines

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The public hearing meeting for this project has been changed to Thursday, April 2. Residents are welcome to attend the meeting in-person or virtually.


Thursday, April 2, 2 p.m.: County Commissioners’ Public Meeting

  • In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse, Sophie Moiese Room
  • Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published on the Missoula County’s public meeting portal.


Missoula County Community and Economic Development (CED) is considering policy guidance on how housing can support the goals of Targeted Economic Development Districts.


Background and Context:

The purpose of Missoula County’s Targeted Economic Development Districts (TEDDs) is to use tax increment financing (TIF) to build public infrastructure that encourages economic development within the boundaries of those districts (e.g., industry, manufacturing, tourism, recreation, etc.).

In 2021, the Montana Legislature amended the definition of infrastructure in the context of TIF to recognize that, in addition to roads, sewer, and water, workforce housing is also critical infrastructure necessary to support economic development within the boundaries of TEDDs across the state (Montana Code Annotated § 7-15-4279 and MCA § 7-15-4283(4)).

The Montana Legislature did not define “workforce housing” in this context, instead delegating that responsibility to local jurisdictions. This policy under consideration will provide that definition for Missoula County.

Missoula County is facing a housing affordability crisis. Over the past 15 years, home prices and rents have increased dramatically, while household incomes have failed to keep up.

Employers across Missoula County rely on workers at every income level to operate, but rising housing costs make it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain employees who can afford to live near their jobs.


Policy Framework:

The policy guideline under consideration seeks to define what types of housing within the County’s TEDDs qualify as “workforce housing,” and how those projects can be supported with TIF.

Under this policy, there will be two categories for qualifying workforce housing projects:

  1. Attainable Housing: This category will include housing projects that are not using a formal affordable housing program, but where other metrics (e.g., increased density, decreased square footage) provide market-based guardrails to limit home prices. Projects in this category will be eligible to access TIF funding to support public infrastructure serving the project but will not be eligible to receive TIF funding for vertical construction of the project.

  1. Affordable Housing: This category will include housing projects that use established affordable housing programs (e.g., LIHTC, Community Land Trusts, HOME, PBRAs) or other similar enforcement mechanisms as approved by CED. Housing projects in this category must deliver below-market, affordable housing, as defined by the project’s affiliated affordable housing program. Housing projects in this category will be eligible to access deeper levels of TIF funding to support public infrastructure serving the project, as well as TIF support for vertical construction of the project.


Process:

In developing this policy, Missoula County CED engaged with a stakeholder group of nonprofit and for-profit housing developers and providers to create this policy. The primary goal of this engagement effort was to ensure this policy is usable by both nonprofit and for-profit projects, and that this policy will result in an increased supply of workforce housing in Missoula County.

The stakeholder group reviewed and provided input on multiple drafts, leading to the final draft currently under consideration. 

The policy will be presented to the Missoula Jurisdictional Advisory Committee and the Missoula Development Authority for review and recommendations. The final policy will be presented to the county commissioners for public comment and a final decision at their public hearing meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, March. 12.


Key Dates:

Missoula Jurisdictional Advisory Committee (MJAC): 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Lands & Communities Conference Room, 127 E. Main St., Second Floor, or virtually via Microsoft Teams  

Missoula Development Authority (MDA): 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in the Sophie Moiese Room in the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway, or virtually via Microsoft Teams 

The Missoula County commissioners will take public comment and consider adoption of the policy at a public hearing meeting: 2 p.m. Thursday, April 2, in the Sophie Moiese Room in the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway, or virtually via Microsoft Teams.


Public Comment:

Submit public comment by Wednesday, April 1, using the comment tool below.

The public hearing meeting for this project has been changed to Thursday, April 2. Residents are welcome to attend the meeting in-person or virtually.


Thursday, April 2, 2 p.m.: County Commissioners’ Public Meeting

  • In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse, Sophie Moiese Room
  • Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published on the Missoula County’s public meeting portal.


Missoula County Community and Economic Development (CED) is considering policy guidance on how housing can support the goals of Targeted Economic Development Districts.


Background and Context:

The purpose of Missoula County’s Targeted Economic Development Districts (TEDDs) is to use tax increment financing (TIF) to build public infrastructure that encourages economic development within the boundaries of those districts (e.g., industry, manufacturing, tourism, recreation, etc.).

In 2021, the Montana Legislature amended the definition of infrastructure in the context of TIF to recognize that, in addition to roads, sewer, and water, workforce housing is also critical infrastructure necessary to support economic development within the boundaries of TEDDs across the state (Montana Code Annotated § 7-15-4279 and MCA § 7-15-4283(4)).

The Montana Legislature did not define “workforce housing” in this context, instead delegating that responsibility to local jurisdictions. This policy under consideration will provide that definition for Missoula County.

Missoula County is facing a housing affordability crisis. Over the past 15 years, home prices and rents have increased dramatically, while household incomes have failed to keep up.

Employers across Missoula County rely on workers at every income level to operate, but rising housing costs make it increasingly difficult to recruit and retain employees who can afford to live near their jobs.


Policy Framework:

The policy guideline under consideration seeks to define what types of housing within the County’s TEDDs qualify as “workforce housing,” and how those projects can be supported with TIF.

Under this policy, there will be two categories for qualifying workforce housing projects:

  1. Attainable Housing: This category will include housing projects that are not using a formal affordable housing program, but where other metrics (e.g., increased density, decreased square footage) provide market-based guardrails to limit home prices. Projects in this category will be eligible to access TIF funding to support public infrastructure serving the project but will not be eligible to receive TIF funding for vertical construction of the project.

  1. Affordable Housing: This category will include housing projects that use established affordable housing programs (e.g., LIHTC, Community Land Trusts, HOME, PBRAs) or other similar enforcement mechanisms as approved by CED. Housing projects in this category must deliver below-market, affordable housing, as defined by the project’s affiliated affordable housing program. Housing projects in this category will be eligible to access deeper levels of TIF funding to support public infrastructure serving the project, as well as TIF support for vertical construction of the project.


Process:

In developing this policy, Missoula County CED engaged with a stakeholder group of nonprofit and for-profit housing developers and providers to create this policy. The primary goal of this engagement effort was to ensure this policy is usable by both nonprofit and for-profit projects, and that this policy will result in an increased supply of workforce housing in Missoula County.

The stakeholder group reviewed and provided input on multiple drafts, leading to the final draft currently under consideration. 

The policy will be presented to the Missoula Jurisdictional Advisory Committee and the Missoula Development Authority for review and recommendations. The final policy will be presented to the county commissioners for public comment and a final decision at their public hearing meeting at 2 p.m. Thursday, March. 12.


Key Dates:

Missoula Jurisdictional Advisory Committee (MJAC): 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, in the Lands & Communities Conference Room, 127 E. Main St., Second Floor, or virtually via Microsoft Teams  

Missoula Development Authority (MDA): 3:15 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026, in the Sophie Moiese Room in the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway, or virtually via Microsoft Teams 

The Missoula County commissioners will take public comment and consider adoption of the policy at a public hearing meeting: 2 p.m. Thursday, April 2, in the Sophie Moiese Room in the Missoula County Courthouse, 200 W. Broadway, or virtually via Microsoft Teams.


Public Comment:

Submit public comment by Wednesday, April 1, using the comment tool below.

  • Public hearing meeting changed to Thursday, April 2

    Share Public hearing meeting changed to Thursday, April 2 on Facebook Share Public hearing meeting changed to Thursday, April 2 on Twitter Share Public hearing meeting changed to Thursday, April 2 on Linkedin Email Public hearing meeting changed to Thursday, April 2 link

    The county commissioners will take public comment and consider the adoption of the policy at their Thursday, April 2 public hearing meeting. Residents are welcome to attend the meeting in-person or virtually.

    Thursday, April 2, 2 p.m.: County Commissioners’ Public Meeting

    • In-person location: 200 W. Broadway, Missoula County Courthouse, Sophie Moiese Room
    • Virtual option: Residents can attend the meeting via Microsoft Teams. To join the meeting on your device, follow the links on the agenda that will be published on the Missoula County’s public meeting portal.

  • TIF Housing Policy receives recommendation for approval; Project to go to commissioners

    Share TIF Housing Policy receives recommendation for approval; Project to go to commissioners on Facebook Share TIF Housing Policy receives recommendation for approval; Project to go to commissioners on Twitter Share TIF Housing Policy receives recommendation for approval; Project to go to commissioners on Linkedin Email TIF Housing Policy receives recommendation for approval; Project to go to commissioners link

    The TIF Housing Policy received recommendation for approval by both the Missoula Jurisdictional Advisory Committee (MJAC) and Missoula Development Authority (MDA) and will go to county commissioners sometime in April.

Page last updated: 10 Mar 2026, 01:18 PM