Montana bill giving workforce-housing covenants statutory footing died in committee
Montana bill giving workforce-housing covenants statutory footing died in committee
2026-09-15 · Montana · Legislation · Did not pass
What happened. Montana declined to give deed-restricted workforce housing an express statutory basis in 2025 — a live question for resort-town associations being asked to accept deed-restricted units.
The bill
House Bill 422, sponsored by Rep. Jonathan Karlen (D), would have amended Mont. Code Ann. § 70-17-203 — the section listing covenants that run with the land — to add a new subsection (2)(e):1
“covenants restricting the sale, lease, or the owner's share of appreciation in equity of residential property to individuals with specific incomes or occupations, the purpose of which is to encourage the long-term affordability and attainability of workforce housing.”
How it died
- (H) Introduced and Hearing — February 7, 2025
- (H) Tabled in Committee — February 17, 2025
- (H) Missed Deadline for General Bill Transmittal — March 12, 2025
- (H) Died in Process — May 20, 2025
Ten days from hearing to table. It never reached a floor vote.
What the statute still says
Montana's list of covenants that expressly run with the land under § 70-17-203 is unchanged: conservation easements (§ 76-6-209), open-space dedications (§ 76-3-509), and wind easements. A deed-restricted affordable or workforce-housing covenant has no express statutory footing in Montana.
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Related Montana HOA Topics
- House Bill 422 (2025), Authorized Print Version — adding workforce-housing covenants to Mont. Code Ann. § 70-17-203 (Montana Free Press Capitol Tracker mirror of the Legislature's official print) ↩
- Montana Legislature Bill Explorer API — HB 422 (2025) status history: Tabled in Committee Feb. 17, 2025; Died in Process May 20, 2025; and HB 378 status ↩
- HJ 30 draft final report to the 70th Montana Legislature — housing density and affordability study (Local Government Interim Committee) ↩
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