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In State of the City address, Bozeman mayor says affordable housing remains a top priority

Bozeman Mayor Cyndy Andrus stands at a microphone delivering the annual State of the City address on January 24, 2023
Olivia Weitz
/
Yellowstone Public Radio
Bozeman Mayor Cyndy Andrus delivers the annual State of the City address on January 24, 2023.

Bozeman Mayor Cyndy Andrus says creating more affordable housing will continue to be a top priority for the city commission in the year ahead.

In her annual State of the City address on Tuesday, Andrus said this past year the city found more ways to incentivize affordable housing and will keep making progress with the tools it has available.

“In 2022 we approved 110 workforce and affordable housing units for 2 projects including Canyon Gate and on the site of Fire Station Number One, which will be coming to fruition soon,” she said.

Andrus said looking ahead, the city will look at short-term rental regulations and continue to update and revise city code, “adopting changes that will facilitate increased housing density, affordability, climate plan objectives, sustainable building practices and a transparent, predictable review process,” she said.

Andrus said the city cannot solve affordable housing on its own and is hopeful that the state legislature will bring forward more tools communities can use to help solve the problem.

In the next year, Andrus said the city plans to work with Gallatin County, nonprofits and nearby towns to write a regional housing strategy.

Olivia Weitz covers Bozeman and surrounding communities in Southwest Montana for Yellowstone Public Radio. She has reported for Northwest News Network and Boise State Public Radio and previously worked at a daily print newspaper. She is a graduate of the University of Puget Sound and the Transom Story Workshop.