Bill > SB381

This bill establishes a new homesteading program for Montana state lands, allowing qualified residents to purchase and develop small parcels of state-owned land. Under the bill, the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation (DNRC) must identify state-owned lands less than 100 contiguous acres that are suitable for homesteading, which means the land must have legal access, be undeveloped, not be a state park or fishing access site, have no physical barriers to development, and have no legal restrictions preventing sale. To qualify as a homesteader, an individual must have been a continuous Montana resident for the past 10 years. The DNRC will make these lands available in parcels up to 5 acres, with homesteaders required to pay the full market value of the land based on an appraisal of comparable nearby properties. Homesteaders must build a permanent foundation home on the land within 5 years and make it their primary residence. If they fail to meet these requirements, the property and any improvements will revert to state ownership, and the purchase price will be refunded. The program is set to run until January 1, 2037, and the DNRC is tasked with creating rules to implement the homesteading initiative.

Agriculture and Natural Resources

https://bills.legmt.gov/#/laws/bill/2/LC1425