City Council Candidates Talk Affordable Housing

By Emily Darrell, 10-30-07

Affordable housing, particularly affordable rental housing, was the main topic of the evening at a public forum of Missoula City Council candidates held at the University of Montana’s UC Theater Monday night.

The forum, co-hosted by the Associated Students of the University of Montana (ASUM) and the Montana Public Interest Research Group (MontPIRG), was open to both students and the general public, though only 50 or so people attended.

The forum was to be divided into three 30-minute segments: brief candidate introductions, responses to prepared questions, and an audience question and answer session. However, since virtually all of the 12 candidates introduced themselves in a manner that could not be described as brief, the other segments of the forum were reduced to one prepared question and one audience question, both relating to affordable housing.

The question put forth by the forum’s moderator, ASUM senator Jake Childers (no relation to Ward 6 incumbent Ed Childers), was: “What do you plan to do to ensure students have access to affordable housing?”

Ward 6 candidates Lewie Schneller and Ed Childers were in agreement that there is no clear answer to that question, and that the powers of the real estate market are much larger than those of city council. Childers suggested the possibility of UM providing subsidized housing, but noted that this would be reflected in the amount students pay to attend the university.

Ward 5 candidate Christine Prescott said that though she doesn’t necessarily think rent control is the answer, she believes it is “a tool that needs to be on the table.” Prescott’s opponent Renee Mitchell shifted the discussion from affordable housing to safe housing, urging students to “start exposing the bad landlords.”

“Affordable housing is the $64 million dollar question in Missoula,” said Ward 4 incumbent Jerry Ballas. Like Mitchell, Ballas emphasized the need for safe housing, but not necessarily affordable housing. “I’m more concerned about the quality of the house,” Ballas said. “We want housing that’s constructed to current standards, is safe, and provides a good place to live.”

Ballas’ opponent Lyn Hellegaard said that if property taxes increase that increase will be passed on to renters, and that the best way to ensure that rental prices don’t go up is not to raise property taxes.

Ward 3 incumbent Stacy Rye expressed hearty disagreement with Hellegaard’s belief in the effect of property taxes on rent prices.

“These are mostly supply and demand questions,” Rye said. “If the council shuts down growth, demand will go up and prices will rise.”

Doug Harrison, Rye’s opponent, also agreed that the supply of housing in Missoula needs to increase. Harrison also said that Missoula needs more industry that provides better paying jobs.

Ward 2 candidate Pam Walzer said that providing incentives such as tax breaks to landlords who cap rents could be a possible solution to providing students and other renters with affordable housing options.

“What’s the solution?” asked Walzer’s opponent, incumbent Don Nicholson. “We must consider very seriously consider manufactured homes.” Nicholson believes that manufactured homes are both less expensive and higher quality than “stick built homes.”

“We have a hump to get over called ‘manufactured houses are bad’,” Nicholson said.

Ward 1 candidate Justin Armintrout said that market predictions indicated that rents will stay the same or even dip somewhat in the next few years. He also emphasized the need for renters to fight for their rights against unsafe or unsavory housing. “At least you get more bang for your buck,” Armintrout said.

Armintrout’s opponent Jason Wiener, himself a renter, encourages “good relationships between renters and landlords.”

“I’m open to all ideas,” Wiener said in regards to solving the affordable housing issue.