Letter to the Editor: Bozeman Water Adequacy Ballot Initiative Seeks to Conserve Water While Providing Affordable Housing For Rent and For Sale

The Bozeman Water Adequacy citizens’ municipal ballot initiative (Initiative) has been approved for signature-gathering by the Gallatin County Elections Department (County) and City of Bozeman (City). The goal of the Initiative is to help conserve the City’s finite water supply while helping to provide much-needed affordable housing for rent and for sale to Bozeman residents. The Initiative is sponsored by a multi-generational, grassroots group of renters and homeowners known as Water Adequacy for Residential Development (WARD).

The Initiative seeks to amend Bozeman Municipal Code Sec 38.410.130.D to allow new residential developments of three or more dwelling units to pay the City cash-in-lieu of water rights only if such developments include 33% or more of affordable dwelling units for rent or for sale. Moreover, the Initiative seeks to repeal the ability of new residential developments to loophole-out of providing affordable dwelling units via implementing offsite water efficiency or conservation measures.

The Initiative defines affordable as dwelling units offered for rent at 60% or less of area median income (AMI) or offered for sale at 120% AMI or less. All affordable dwelling units would be deed-restricted for at least 99 years, be required to be of the same size and quality as those sold or rented at market rate, and be evenly distributed among and within all buildings and floors of a development. The City would be responsible for allocating affordable dwelling units for rent and for sale by random lottery.

“This ballot initiative is about our community deciding how we allocate Bozeman's finite water supply, adding an affordable housing tool to our toolbox, and perhaps slowing gentrification within the City,” said Bozeman resident Natsuki Nakamura.

The WARD group will have until June 23 to collect signatures from 15% (5,400) of Bozeman’s registered voters in order to place the Initiative on the City’s November 2025 ballot. To be eligible to sign the initiative, you'll need to live within Bozeman city limits and be registered to vote in Bozeman. Look for WARD signature-gatherers around town, on campus (e.g., during MSU Climate Week, April 21 - 25), and at local trailheads, weekend farmers' markets and special events through June 23.

Please sign the Initiative if you would like to help conserve Bozeman's finite water supply and see more affordable housing built in Bozeman.