The Bozeman Water Adequacy ballot initiative (aka WARD) is a citizen-driven effort to link the critical issue of housing affordability with water availability. If passed, WARD would amend the Bozeman Municipal Code to allow developers to pay cash in lieu of water rights (CILWR) only if new residential developments include at least 33% affordable units for rent or sale.

To propose a new building project, a developer must demonstrate adequate water to support that development, either by transferring water rights to the city or paying CILWR. In a closed basin like the Gallatin Valley—where all water rights are spoken for—luxury developments stress the existing water supply.

To justify development in a limited basin, WARD requires developers to commit to affordability standards of 33% of new units. “Affordable” is defined as units rented at 60% of area median income (AMI) or sold at 120% AMI. In Bozeman, where the 2025 AMI is $120,700, an affordable home would cost less than $500,000, and an affordable two-bedroom rental unit would be capped at around $1,600 per month.

The Southwest Montana Building Industry Association (SWMBIA) published anti-WARD materials on its website, warning that WARD is “a ban on building homes” and would tie both developers’ and the city’s hands with respect to providing affordable housing. But in reality, WARD rethinks affordable housing incentives. For example, in 2022, the City passed an affordable housing ordinance that set affordability standards and allowed deviations from building codes (e.g., taller structure and fewer parking spots) in exchange for the construction affordable units. In contrast, WARD would allow developers access to the streamlined CILWR program only in exchange for constructing affordable units.

Further allegations accuse WARD of failing to consult with experts or consider the needs of longtime locals. On the contrary, WARD is an intergenerational, interdisciplinary, and invested group of locals who have risked hard-earned professional reputations to create a more sustainable standard of living for all Bozeman residents. For example:

Dan Carty, a co-author of WARD, is a retired fisheries biologist and 27-year Bozeman resident. Before purchasing their home, Dan and his wife lived in sub-market-rate housing for 13 years. WARD is designed to help families like Dan’s, who are living and working in Bozeman, get their feet on the ground. An MSU alumnus and an established member of the Bozeman community, Dan believes that issues that affect us all should be affected by all.

Zeth Stone, a co-author of WARD, has lived and rented in Bozeman for nearly a decade and has a background in real estate appraisal. Zeth has watched as longtime community members have been priced out of Bozeman, prompting him to advocate for policies to meaningfully impact the housing market.

John Meyer, a co-author of WARD, moved to Montana in 1999 and to Bozeman in 2008. A biologist-turned-attorney, John has spent the past 15 years advocating for the people, landscapes, and wildlife of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Now, John lives in the exact type of development that WARD advocates for: a neighborhood with mixed-income housing, where longtime locals like John can afford to raise a family and continue working on behalf of Montana’s natural resources.

Marci Young works to educate the public about WARD, despite the City’s desire not to work collaboratively with its community members. “The City awarded $50,000 taxpayer dollars to an out-of-state agency to provide ballot education to Bozeman voters, rather than provide those funds to the local group, who are already well-versed in the mechanics of WARD.” 

Lorre Jay, a co-author of WARD with a background in financial analysis, explains the forethought that went into the initiative: “The lack of affordable housing, displacement of longtime residents, and degradation of historic neighborhoods led many of us to consider an approach that matches the housing we need with the housing being built.” And, recent research by urban planning expert Dr. Kirk McClure demonstrated that Bozeman has an oversupply of unaffordable housing, and thus a greater set-aside for affordable housing is needed. 

Marisa Wesker became involved with WARD during a legal internship. “Gathering signatures was my first experience with direct democracy—and it dispelled some of the political disillusionment I’ve felt. WARD is community action, where global issues of affordability and water conservation are effectively transmuted to the local stage.”

While Bozeman voters who signed the initiative likely had different priorities, they shared a strong desire to improve their community.


WARD is, at its core, citizen-driven. It’s a ballot initiative written by Bozeman residents for Bozeman residents. It’s not written by bureaucrats, faceless associations, or agenda-driven lobbyists. WARD is made up of students and teachers; retired volunteers and career attorneys; scientists and policy experts; homeowners and renters. WARD is, in other words, you. As WARD was written for you, WARD will be voted on by you. You, as a citizen of Bozeman, of Montana, of this country, have a constitutional right to determine your own future.

This November, WARD offers a future with increased access to affordable housing for the Bozeman community, conservation of Bozeman’s stressed water supply, and the chance to choose for yourself how Bozeman grows.    



Marisa Wesker is a second-year environmental law student at the University of Denver and a member of the WARD working group. She interned for Cottonwood Environmental Law Center in Bozeman.

Joan Montagne has been a conservation activist in Bozeman for over 50 years. She wants to keep Bozeman a city where citizens respect the special place we have for humans, water, and the wildlife who call this valley home.