At the Helena Association of REALTORS® (HAR), our Policy Positions serve as a guiding framework to help the Government Affairs Committee and Board of Directors make informed decisions about the issues that matter most to our members, our clients, and our community. These positions help shape our conversations and ensure consistency in how we approach advocacy and public policy. For questions about HAR’s Policy Positions, please contact the Association Office at [email protected].

HAR POLICY POSITIONS

Workforce Housing
  • Policy Position: Advocate for zoning reform and financial incentives, such as tax breaks, grants, and loans, to increase the development of mixed-use and workforce housing.
  • Local Relevance: In communities lacking workforce housing, individuals in essential jobs often cannot afford to live where they work, leading to high turnover in critical positions.
Affordable Housing
  • Policy Position: Advocate for reforming local zoning codes and land use regulations- such as restrictions on middle-density housing, permitting issues related to ADUs, square footage restrictions, parking minimums, adaptive re-use and unit-per-acre limits- to increase affordable housing options.
  • Local Relevance: Insufficient affordable housing undermines community health and economic Communities lacking affordable housing face overcrowding, financial strain, increased risk of eviction, limits workforce availability, and reduces the tax base needed for infrastructure and public services.
ADUs
  • Policy Position: Advocate for reforming local zoning codes and land use regulations- including building codes, occupancy limits, and square footage restrictions in order to increase the production and use of ADUs.
  • Local Relevance: ADUs positively influence real estate markets and communities by increasing property values, expanding affordable housing options, and adding to the local housing supply.
Rental Housing
  • Policy Position: Advocate for policies that increase rental housing supply and reduce financial barriers, such as tax incentives, for property owners to offer more affordable rental options.
  • Local Relevance: An adequate supply of rental housing keeps rents attainable and expands housing opportunities for more individuals.
Short-Term Rental
  • Policy Position: Oppose policies that restrict or ban short-term rentals (STRs), in order to uphold the rights of private property owners and improve local economies.
  • Local Relevance: Communities that allow short-term rentals (STRs) often see increased economic activity, greater community investment, increased local government revenue and added income opportunities for property owners.
Land Use/Zoning
  • Policy Position: Advocate for land use and zoning policies that support local control and enhance a community’s ability to guide development based on its unique needs, housing demand, and market conditions. Advocate for locally driven solutions and for local governments to apply zoning mandates in ways that expand housing supply.
  • Local Relevance: State overreach in land use and zoning restricts local control over permitting and rezoning, leading to slower, more expensive development and higher housing costs due to unclear regulations.
Water Policy
  • Policy Position: Advocate for reforming water policy that provides predictability for development and protection of This includes reforms to Montana’s water system, such as streamlining permitting through data, supporting regional planning, empowering local control, promoting drought-resilient technologies, and enhancing data transparency in order to expand access and reduce barriers to development.
  • Local Relevance: The complexity of Montana’s water rights system creates legal and procedural barriers that frequently delay or halt subdivision projects.

HAR Policy Positions were adopted by the HAR Board of Directors in October 2025