The Missoula County Commissioners approved the TIF Workforce Housing Policy at their April 2, 2026 public hearing meeting. 

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 provides that definition for Missoula County. 

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 the construction of the buildings.  
2. 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 the Community and Economic Development department. 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 construction of the buildings.  

On Feb. 10, 2022, the Board of County Commissioners adopted the Missoula County Housing Action Plan: Breaking Ground as an issue plan of the Missoula County Growth Policy. The recommended actions in Breaking Ground fall under three broad goals: 

• Use the county’s toolkit—including zoning, infrastructure, and use of county lands—to increase the housing supply
• Provide more funding for programs to help people access and stay in stable housing
• Partner with the city, housing nonprofits, and developers to improve policy