Sign up for the free Missoula This Week newsletter and stay in the loop on Missoula city government, public school meetings, business news and upcoming entertainment and events. Sign up 01/16/2026 “Missoula This Week” is reported and written By Katie Fairbanks. Send your Missoula news and tips to [email protected]. Front Step Community Land Trust to survey four neighborhoods in February     Next month, a Missoula nonprofit will begin surveying renters as part of a project to support healthy communities in the city’s working-class neighborhoods.  Front Step Community Land Trust recently received a $50,000 grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation to collect data from Missoula renters and boost community organizing in the Northside, Westside, Franklin to the Fort and River Road neighborhoods. Data collection will focus on displacement and landlord-tenant relationships.  “We know that housing instability contributes to long-term negative health outcomes, and this project will help us learn what specific structural problems are most common to everyday people in Missoula’s working-class neighborhoods,” said Brittany Palmer, executive director at Front Step, in a press release. “We’re seeking to learn what our neighbors experience, which is the first step in addressing those challenges and building healthier communities.” Front Step will conduct focus groups with landlords in a second phase of the project, “Advancing Housing Justice in Missoula’s Working-Class Neighborhoods.”  Jana Richter, Front Step’s community engagement specialist, told Montana Free Press that understanding how different Missoula communities experience housing insecurity and displacement will help make the case for tenant protections, anti-displacement measures and more creative solutions, such as housing cooperatives.  The project is focusing on Missoula’s most working-class neighborhoods, identified by the Missoula’s Invest Health program as historically and presently “disinvested in” compared to others, Richter said. The majority-renter neighborhoods are home to residents most impacted by Missoula’s housing crisis, they said.  Richter said there is not a “robust” understanding among Missoulians with housing security or who own their homes of the breadth of issues renters face. That includes how often renters have to move, how often rent is raised and the power dynamics between renters and landlords, they said.  “Hopefully, providing a snapshot of that in Missoula’s most working-class neighborhoods will help inform policies that can help combat a lot of the housing insecurity and displacement that renters face and center the people at most risk of displacement in the process,” Richter said.  Front Step will send mailers to renters in all four neighborhoods in early February that will include a QR code and information about the survey, the organization and Missoula Tenants Union, Richter said. Front Step also plans to knock on every door of renters in the four neighborhoods to offer information about the project and answer questions.  Richter said the project includes targeted outreach to marginalized communities, such as people with disabilities, Black and Indigenous populations and young families, that are often underrepresented in survey data.  While the project focuses on specific neighborhoods, anyone who has rented in Missoula in the last three years can complete a survey, Richter said. Residents of mobile home parks are eligible because they rent lots for their homes. The survey is completely anonymous, and sensitive information will be protected and treated with care, they said.  The organization is working with Missoula Public Health and the University of Montana through the Invest Health group to help make survey findings accessible to the public, Richter said. Front Step plans to create robust summaries of the findings and identify priority areas of interest and support for tenants, they said.   The findings could support initiatives that increase legal support for tenants, create pathways to ownership or make it easier for tenants to stay in their homes if they face eviction, Richter said. Data helps strengthen the case for new policies or programs and in outlining priorities for potential organizing campaigns, they said.  “I hope that renters through this project are inspired by the level of care and energy that is building in Missoula toward protecting tenant rights and showing renters that we can build power, that their stories matter, … and that we can come together and better protect the people most impacted by our dire housing crisis in Missoula today,” Richter said.  Protecting renters from displacement and “unlocking” creative housing options allows more people to build stable, thriving lives in the community, Richter said.  “I would just encourage people to remember that protecting the people who are most vulnerable during our housing crisis protects all of us,” they said.  County keeps focus on residential, industrial development of the Wye  Why is Missoula County focused on development in the Wye? County and development officials explained their reasoning during the monthly City Club Missoula meeting this week.  The Wye, the area west of Missoula around the intersection of Interstate 90 and Highway 93, includes a mix of truck stops, industrial businesses and housing. Andrew Hagemeier, the county’s director of Community and Economic Development, said last week the county’s 2019 update to its growth policy identified the Wye as a “growth area.” But the existing infrastructure is not set up to accommodate the level of development the plan envisions and current zoning allows, he said.  On Jan. 8, Missoula County commissioners adopted the Wye Infrastructure Plan, which outlines existing infrastructure deficiencies and the improvements necessary to accommodate projected development over the next 50 years. Hagemeier said at the meeting Monday that the county is focused on the Wye because the location can address two problems — the need for housing and the county’s shrinking industrial land base.  The county needs to increase the supply and diversity of housing, and rural low-density housing is not enough, Hagemeier said. The Wye is one of the few areas in the county outside city limits that allows for higher-density housing, with a minimum of eight units per acre in much of the area zoned for residential use. The area could see 10,000 new homes, including apartments, if developed at a higher density, according to the infrastructure plan.  About 1,150 acres in the Wye study area are zoned for industrial use. The county’s industrial land base is important to the local economy and tax base, Hagemeier said. While large mills have closed, there is still demand for industrial land in Missoula County by businesses that need different infrastructure, he said.  “With infrastructure, we can have development at scale,” Hagemeier said. “With infrastructure, we can increase the diversity of our housing. We can evolve with a changing industrial landscape. And real quickly we can use our land more efficiently, which allows us to avoid growing in areas that have good agricultural soils or wildlife.”  Jeff Smith, CEO of WGM Group, which worked with the county on the Wye infrastructure plan, said Monday that the improvements are divided into phases based on current development and feasibility of expansion. The infrastructure needs considered in the plan include transportation, water, sewer and public services like schools, fire protection and parks. The first phase of work necessary to jumpstart other development includes about $42 million in sewer improvements, water expansion, intersection upgrades and stormwater management, according to the plan.  The plan also outlines an implementation strategy and potential funding options. The Wye area is covered by two targeted economic development districts that allow the collection of tax increment financing to be used for certain infrastructure projects. The county would also seek partnerships with the private sector and state and federal grants.   Developer Matt Mellott said “town center” development, including houses and retail around large employers, will generate more tax revenue to help pay for infrastructure.   The plan notes that a study of the area’s groundwater is needed, and Hagemeier told the commissioners last week that the study will be included in the county’s budgeting process this year. Smith with WGM said development beyond the initial infrastructure upgrades will be driven by developers and businesses.  “There’s a big lift that the private sector will carry in fulfilling this future vision,” he said. “Really, we’re trying to set the stage so the private side can be successful.” Public Notice  The Missoula County Elections Office is seeking more than 500 election judges this year. Election judges greet voters, issue ballots, operate equipment, deliver supplies, work at ballot drop locations, answer questions and more. Judges are paid for their service and training.  New and returning volunteers can sign up for election judge training online. Applicants must be at least 18 years old and verify they are registered to vote in Missoula County. The elections office encourages local employers to allow employees paid time off to serve. “It takes a community-wide effort to conduct fair and organized elections,” said Elections Administrator Bradley Seaman. “Election judges are champions of the election process who play a crucial role in ensuring the strength and integrity of the voting process by upholding election law and providing friendly customer service.”  Judges are asked to work either a full or half shift on Election Day for both the June primary and November general elections. The base wage for election judges starts at $10.85 an hour, which increases for positions that require more responsibility and training. Initial training typically lasts about three hours, with advanced sessions available for specific positions. Training sessions are scheduled throughout March and will be held at the Elections Center at 140 N. Russell St. There will be an online course available for judges who have previously trained. For questions, call the office at 406-258-4751 or email [email protected].  5 Things to Know in Missoula  The Missoula County Public Schools board Tuesday appointed London Meservy to fill the vacant trustee position representing the elementary and high school district. Meservy is an attorney with four children, three of whom attend public schools in Missoula. Meservy told the board he is a strong believer in public education and wants to help continue the district’s upward trajectory. He was one of four applicants for the position, which became open after former board chair Wilena Old Person resigned in early December. Meservy must file to run for the seat by Feb. 9 if he wants to continue on the board. He told the board he intends to run for election. The May election winner will serve the remainder of Old Person’s term, which expires in 2028. More candidate filing information is available on the county elections website.  The Missoula Redevelopment Agency board Thursday approved a $497,295 contract with design firm GGLO to complete the North Reserve Scott Street 2026 master plan. The plan will study the same area included in the 2016 plan, which includes the stretch of city and county land between Reserve Street and Scott Street, south of Interstate 90 and north of West Broadway. The plan update is necessary given the changes to the area, including the closure of the Roseburg Forest Products’ plant and planned annexation of that property, said Annie Gorski, the MRA’s deputy director. The Missoula City Council approved the first phase of annexation on Monday, and Roseburg plans to annex the remainder after the master plan update is completed. The plan is set to be finished by October. The contract will be paid using tax increment financing from the North Reserve Scott Street urban renewal district.  On Thursday, the Missoula County commissioners appointed six members and two alternates to the new Missoula Consolidated Land Use Board. The county and city of Missoula, which previously shared a planning board, are establishing separate planning commissions as required by state law. The new county board, which also replaces the county’s Zoning Board of Adjustment, will review land use plans, subdivisions, zoning requests and administrative action appeals. The commissioners appointed former planning board members Rick Hall and Danny Oberweiser, former Board of Adjustment members Andy Mefford and Jennifer Schultz, and Barbara Raible, Chris Saale and Michael Settevendemie. Josh Schroeder was appointed as the board’s conservation district representative. The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes is considering whether to appoint a voting member to the board, said Mattie Scott, a county administrative assistant.  The Missoula County commissioners Jan. 8 approved additional impact fees to help pay for improvements to Lolo’s public water and sewer systems. The systems have been at capacity and unable to accept new connections for years, said Karen Hughes, director of the county’s Planning, Development and Sustainability department. The fees would fund projects to improve the existing systems and increase capacity, she said. HDR Engineering completed an impact fee study recommending increased fees on new development that vary depending on the size of the water line. The study recommends increasing the total water and sewer impact fee from $10,000 per equivalent dwelling unit to about $17,500. Multifamily, commercial or industrial buildings that use larger waterlines would be charged higher fees, said Coralynn Revis with HDR. County commissioners Dave Strohmaier and Josh Slotnick said the fees were a step in the right direction to improve the systems for residents and facilitate growth in the area. Missoula’s Public Works and Mobility Department is holding its second annual contest to name three city snowplows. The city is looking for clever, funny and lighthearted name ideas like last year’s winners — “The Big Leplowski,” “Scoop Dog” and “Darth Blader.” Submissions are open online through Feb. 2. The city won’t consider names that are political, trademarked, inappropriate or offensive. City staff will narrow submissions to the top 12 names. Voting opens Feb. 4, and the city will announce the three winners Feb. 17.  MLK Jr. Day  The community is invited to Missoula’s annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration Monday. The event, featuring several speakers, music by local performers and the presentation of youth art and essay awards, runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Missoula Holiday Inn Downtown. 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