With costs rising, Missoula rental advocates seek solutions
Martin Kidston
(Missoula Current) A renter survey conducted in Missoula earlier this year found that more than half of those surveyed were cost-burdened by the price of rent and most have seen their rent increase in the last year.
The survey – the first of its kind in Missoula – placed into figures what has largely been spoken of anecdotally over the past few years. The cost of housing remains challenging and those who rent feel powerless to address the issues that drive it.
“We've heard this year that our housing market is cooling and more housing is coming online, but this is not really translating for the renter population,” Jana Richter, the engagement specialist at Front Step Community Land Trust, told members of City Council on Wednesday. “Most renters reported that their housing costs have risen in the last year.”
The annual housing report released this year by the Missoula Organization of Realtors found that the median cost of rent has increased from $800 in 2017 to more than $1,300 in 2024. And while the vacancy rate has slowly ticked up over that time, it has had little impact on rental costs.
Richter said the survey results found that 53% of renters paid more than 30% of their income toward housing, placing them in a category where they're considered cost burdened. Another 30% of renters were forced to move given rising costs.
“Rising costs and housing instability impact renters regardless of employment status,” said Richter. “Most renters responded that they worked full-time or more, and yet two-thirds of folks said that if they were forced to move at the end of 30 days, they would likely experience a gap in housing and go into debt. Employment is not insulating folks from the risk of houselessness.”
The survey also found that 17% of renters moved due to a poor relationship with their landlord or property manager. The cost of rental applications also remains an issue, sometimes costing three-times one month's rent.
For renters already facing financial challenges, Richter said the application issue remains a barrier to stable housing.
“They're really navigating a housing market defined by limited supply, unaffordable rent prices and other significant barriers,” said Richter. “The second largest barrier was applications requiring three-times rent. If you're already cost burdened, you would not be eligible for a lot of the housing applications available in Missoula.”
Despite legislative efforts to ensure that fees are returned to unsuccessful rental applications, the law has issues that renter advocates are pushing to address.
“There's so many loopholes that have been identified, and third parties are being used to not have to refund those (fees) to folks,” said Richter. “We can really think about creative ways that city and county government can encourage some of these improvements, even inside a lot of the funding constraints we're seeing.”
Brenna Gradus, a board member at Front Step and co-founder of the Missoula Tenants Union, said advocates are looking for creative ways to solve some of the challenges. While rental stats are available on a national scale, the local survey now offers data specific to the Missoula market.
“Instead of waiting for new federal protections or state laws or local ordinances, out of desperation we've had to come up with ways in which we can protect ourselves,” said Gradus. “We've collectively bargained leases in town and we've won real improvements for hundreds of Missoula renters.”
They've also secured a 3% annual rent cap for one mobile home park while advocating for community land trusts as a model toward home ownership.
Gradus added that a newly launched tenant protection working group in partnership with the city may be the place to forge new solutions.
“The momentum behind tenant organizing is not slowing down,” she said. “We'd love to partner in developing some of those solutions.”