USA TODAY's Women of the Year: Montana mayor faces affordability alongside her community

Yahoo

27-02-2025

Andrea Davis is one of USA TODAY's Women of the Year, a recognition of women who have made a significant impact in their communities and across the country. The program launched in 2022 as a continuation of Women of the Century, which commemorated the 100th anniversary of women gaining the right to vote. Meet this year's honorees at womenoftheyear.usatoday.com.
Leading a city she calls "a blue dot" in the Big Sky country of Montana, Andrea Davis understands the need to put people's needs above political ideology. And that's what drew the first-term mayor of Missoula from advocacy to an election in 2023, where voters picked her from a list of non-partisan candidates in part for her focus on an issue affecting her city, her state, and most of her country: housing affordability.
Davis grew up in a working-class family from Kalispell, Montana, that always rented. She knows her parents were fortunate to find rentals that were quality homes, in good neighborhoods, and affordable. And she knows that isn't always the case today for many middle-income and low-income families pinched by the increasingly expensive and pinched housing market in the picturesque college town she's called home the past two decades -- which one study named one of the least affordable in the entire country last year.
Davis's background in affordable housing, from counseling first-time homebuyers to leading an agency building thousands of housing units, came through the nonprofit Homeward, which under her watch expanded from Missoula to 14 other Montana communities. It's that broad view, encompassing a state with a variety of political views, she's taken to the mayor's office and can now share with communities facing the same issues.
In he first year in office, Davis led in Missoula through a process to envision the community's future, in a way that matters to long-time residents, students at the University of Montana, businesses looking to hire and house new workers and to the builders trying to meet the demand for housing. The city's long-range development effort, coined "Our Missoula," adopted a new land-use plan in December after months of working collaboratively across many aisles in the community, finding common ground on wonky issues like zoning maps and permit requirements, just to name a few.
Our Missoula hosted meetings across a variety of interest groups along a step-by-step process: asking specific questions on how to improve and what dreams for the future could look like; showing community members the data that helps guide decisions, like a "land equity" map; and promising reforms to land use policy as well as the permitting regulations required of builders in a way that complies with state law. She admits it may have been as important to individuals as it was to attorneys — but that breadth of involvement is what has made the effort meaningful.
"When you engage with your growth plan, lean in heavy on engagement. Bring in people, go to them, because they are so much more engaged, and it affects their lives every day," Davis said, offering her advice to other leaders grappling with how to balance building with quality of life and include constituents in decision making. "...You can't have a conversation too early. Don't let this get out so far that you can't do anything about it."
Personally, my parents paved the way by teaching me how to afford college when they couldn't pay for it themselves. Professionally, mentors took a chance on me — starting with the founding director of Homeword, Ren Essene, where I built a 22-year career in affordable housing. The board president who hired me as executive director, Ruth Reineking, later encouraged me to run for mayor. Alongside her, a dedicated group of self-proclaimed gray-haired women leveraged their networks and worked hard to help me win. I'm deeply grateful for their belief in me — without them, I wouldn't be here.
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Proudest: My proudest moment was being elected mayor of Missoula. As a political newcomer, I was considered the 'black horse,' running a true grassroots, community-driven campaign. Winning the five-way primary by 15 points and the general election by 20 points was a testament to the hard work and dedication of so many people who believed in our vision. It was an incredible achievement — but stepping into office came with a dose of humility. Those first few months were a crash course in leadership, reminding me that winning was just the beginning of the real work ahead.
Lowest: One of my toughest moments came during a heated debate over an ordinance on homelessness and urban camping. Working with the City Council, I helped shape a policy that was manageable. The community was deeply divided, and no decision of this scale comes without consequences. When the ordinance passed, I felt its weight — some saw progress, others a lack of compassion. But leadership isn't about pride; it's about listening. Community input made it clear that changes were needed, so we adjusted. Responsive government isn't about getting it right the first time — it's about adapting and doing better. Homelessness has no single solution. It requires trial, reflection, and course correction. This experience reinforced my belief that government must always be by the people, for the people — and true leadership means evolving with them.
Courage is stepping up and acting, even when you feel unprepared or unsure. People often tell me, 'You're brave,' and I wonder what they mean. Is it because I stepped into leadership without political experience? Is it because I'm willing to serve as an elected official at a time when we are so divided? Is it because I take on complex challenges or have tough conversations? Sure, all of that takes courage. But so does admitting when you're wrong, apologizing, and learning from mistakes. My advice? Own it. That takes courage too.
A guiding principle I strive to uphold is maintaining a growth mindset. Every day, I have the opportunity to learn and stay curious, even as I'm expected to have answers and make decisions. In all of it, I remind myself to be aware of both my intent and my impact. My mantras: I am enough. I am the eye of the storm. Because through chaos comes order.
As a young girl, I looked up to my older sister — she worked her way through college, traveled, and even taught me to ski. She showed me independence and determination. As an adult, I admire women who lead with grace and compassion. Ruth Reineking, the board president I mentioned earlier, embodies that — she's smart, commanding, and deeply engaged in life. I aspire to live that way too. We only get one life, and I believe in making the most of it — growing, contributing, and creating good for our community.
I overcome adversity by leaning on my community and creating space to reset — whether it's a two-minute breather or stepping outside to reconnect with nature. I turn to tools like journaling, reading, poetry, podcasts, and books that offer perspective and resilience strategies. Most importantly, I coach myself to shift my mindset—reframing challenges, considering different angles, and striving to understand others, knowing that their experiences shape their approach.
Take care of yourself — your mind and body are the only ones you get.
Remember, you can do anything you set your mind to.
Seek joy, both in the expected and unexpected. Stay curious, explore freely.
Move your body, quiet your mind — exercise and meditate more.
Surround yourself with people who lift you up, make you laugh, and give you space to cry.
Doing the work to build community is invaluable.
This article originally appeared on Great Falls Tribune: Missoula mayor Andrea Davis a USA TODAY Women of the Year honoree