What's wrong with Montana's housing costs

Economic summit seeks to prove theory about Montana's housing crisis

Are the crowds of people who are angry about housing costs wrong as well? Economists are hardly in agreement on anything, but many of us think that housing prices and rents are symptoms of restricted supply of housing.

That suggests that we need to build more to bring price growth down, which in turn means overcoming the objections and obstacles that rise up everywhere when a new development is proposed.

But the public might be on a different page. A new study found that there’s little conviction that more housing supply would improve affordability. In fact many want to see price controls, subsidies to families, and restrictions on outside investors expanding development.

The level and intensity of support for these actions, which either ignore or restrict new supply, comes through profoundly. Could this be overcome?

The 2024 Economic Update programs around Montana look look at policies and actions that could move the needle on housing affordability. in Montanaa. The summit will also present a midyear assessment of the Montana and U.S. economies. The Montana Midyear Economic Update is 90 minutes long and includes breakfast, lunch or appetizers. Cost is $35.

REGISTER FOR THE SUMMIT HERE

Here is the economic summit schedule:

Tuesday, July 30

Noon - 1:30 pm

Best Western GranTree Inn

Butte

Tuesday, July 30

4:00 - 5:30 pm

NorthWestern Energy General Office

Helena

Wednesday, July 31

7:30 - 9:00 am

Colonial Inn

Great Falls

Wednesday, July 31

Noon - 1:30 pm

Meadow Lark Country Club

Missoula

Thursday, August 1

7:30 - 9:00 am

Hilton Garden Inn

Kalispell

Thursday, August 1

Noon - 1:30 pm

Hilton Garden Inn

Speakers are:

Patrick Barkey, Director, Montana Bureau of Business and Economic Research

Barkey has served as Director of the Bureau of Business and Economic Research since 2008.

He has been involved with economic forecasting and policy research for more than 30 years, in both the private and public sectors. Before coming to Montana he served as Director of the Bureau of Business Research at Ball State University in Indiana for fourteen years. His recent research has been on the economic impact of energy development, the property tax treatment of the telecommunications industry and the economic impact of trade with Canada. He holds a B.A. and a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Michigan.

Todd O'Hair, President and CEO, Montana Chamber of Commerce

As President and CEO of the Montana Chamber of Commerce, O'Hair works with over 2,000 business members representing every size, industry, and region in the state. A Montana native, O'Hair hails from Livingston where his family owns a multi-generational family ranch. Before being named President and CEO of the Montana Chamber, Todd was the Senior Manager of Government Affairs for a major coal mining company, Cloud Peak Energy. While at Cloud Peak, he served on the Montana Chamber of Commerce board of directors and was the chair of the board in 2016-17. Before Cloud Peak Energy, O'Hair worked in Gov. Judy Martz’s office for four years. He also served as the Natural Resources Policy Advisor for Congressman Rick Hill in Washington, D.C., and later as State Director.