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Bozeman staff transmits housing and economic report; board discusses vacancy and housing-type forecasts
Summary
City staff transmitted the latest annual housing and economic report (data through January). Board members discussed housing-unit forecasts, vacancy rate (noted at 18.7%), and how zoning signals and infrastructure investments relate to observed build patterns.
City staff transmitted the most recent annual housing and economic report and discussed key findings and how the data informs land-use planning.
Chris Saunders, community development staff liaison, told the Board the city commissions an annual report on housing and economic issues and that the most recent release covers data through January of the prior year. "This report is out and available," Saunders said, and noted the usual lag between data collection and publication.
Board members focused discussion on unit-type forecasts and vacancy metrics. One board member noted the forecast included roughly 6,400 single-household units in the planning horizon and highlighted the share of that forecast represented by single-family units. Another member called attention to an "18.7%" vacancy rate and said it was a 16-year high; Saunders described how a recent surge in apartment completions contributed to elevated vacancy as supply absorbed demand.
Members asked staff how to view existing land use versus zoning in the community-development viewer and whether initial zonings match built patterns; Saunders advised the viewer can show zoning and existing land use layers and reiterated that changes to density signals are part of the UDC update to better align infrastructure investment with expected build-out.
Saunders also noted calendar items tied to the department: the economic-development department hosts the report and the Board's next meeting will include annual ethics training on Feb. 2, with a schedule adjustment around Presidents' Day.
Board members requested follow-up access and clarity on the report metrics and mapping tools to assess where zoning is underbuilt relative to what has been built.
