HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-19-21 Public Comment - A. Worman - Rent IncreaseFrom:agenda@bozeman.net
To:Agenda
Subject:Thank you for your public comment.
Date:Monday, July 19, 2021 6:32:13 AM
A new entry to a form/survey has been submitted.
Form Name:Public Comment Form
Date & Time:07/19/2021 6:31 AM
Response #:1157
Submitter ID:40520
IP address:153.90.170.157
Time to complete:16 min. , 22 sec.
Survey Details
Page 1
Public comment may be submitted via the form below, or by any of the following options.
Public comment may also be given at any public meeting.
Email:
agenda@bozeman.net
Mail to:
Attn: City Commission
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
First Name Anthony
Last Name Worman
Email Address arctaco@gmail.com
Phone Number 860-856-1973
Comments
Hello City Commission,
I have a question about rent prices. Do I have any argument, any power, or anyone on my side when I
negotiate my rent? I ask because the rental agency I rent from, last year, raised my rent over 10%. I
negotiated down to a just-under-9% increase by crankily resisting. This year, I was offered another %9.5
increase to sign again before they changed their minds and a few days later said it would be %16.5 more
expensive to rent. My lease is up and this is what they offer for me to sign a new lease. It still seems to me
that jumped rent over %10 between leases is high, and unreasonable. Their argument is, "well, this is what
the owner wants to do, and because of taxes." I want to go back and say, "yeah, sure, raise it, but over a
%10 increase is too high." I work for the state (Montana State) and am vociferous about pay increases. It
seems all the fight and voice can only get as much as a %4 pay increase, and even getting that faces
resistance from the higher-ups at MUS and does not come easily. Rent control in many cities caps this rent
increase at no higher than 4%. I am going to fight again to negotiate a lower rent increase but I want to
know, how can I back this argument up? Is that state on my side? Is the city? Is there a law I should know
about? I have spoken to the leader of the Montana Landlords Association (last year) and they seem to think
this is okay (yet, in the past, I hear they have talked about 10% increases between leases being a sort of
unspoken maximum). I do not know who owns my apartment or my building, but they seem ignorant of my
plight, and the plight of all MSU or state employees. Retail chains, like Target, are offering starting wages
higher than what I've achieved after three years of employment and two pay increases. I think I've done all
that I can to get any possible wage increases, but where can I find the power to negotiate my rent to
anything lower than rapaciously high increases?
Maybe I've got nothing but my own wits. I figured it couldn't hurt to ask. I believe Bozeman is in dire need
of some rent control, or rent increase limits of some sort. Otherwise, state employees such as those
employed by MSU will be entirely pushed out of town. I'm hoping you can give me some help here. Thanks
for everything you all do on the commission, and thanks for your time and consideration,
Anthony Rafael Worman
P.S. What can I do to help?
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receipt of all information.
Thank you,
City Of Bozeman
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