HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-17-23 Public Comment - J. Repscher - Housing Affordability Jack Repscher
Gallatin High School
Ms. Warn
4455 Annie St. Bozeman MT, 59718
04/05/2023
Bozeman City Commissioners
121 N rouse Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
Hello,
My name is Jack Repscher, I am a student at Gallatin Highschool. Today I am
writing to the city commission to express my concern about the Montana housing
shortage issue as it is becoming more and more relevant. With issues spanning
from Rising prices, rising population, people per household. To record low
inventory sales and more. All these topics are very important to me because
bozeman is a community that I care about and I want the best for.
The biggest problem we are facing as a community is that housing isn't keeping
up with population growth. According to a report about "Montana Housing
shortage" done by The Pew Charitable trusts. Since 2010 population for
Bozeman has increased 10 percent while housing units have only been
increasing 7 percent. As long as bozeman continues to grow in population
housing will be a present problem we have to face. Along with not enough
housing being provided people per household is at an all time low. With only 2.5
people living in a house hold more people are being spread out over bozeman it
will be more difficult to find housing or at least affordable housing.
Montana right now is 14th highest percent of homeless people. This revolves
around the problem of affordable housing as well. Part of this issue has to do with
inventory and supply being short. Households are growing since Covid-19 but the
supply and inventory chian is still recovering.
A solution I can think of building more affordable housing in more open spaces.
For the city commission In your next planning phases I say we show more
interest towards finding better places to build. Instead of trying to build condos
and apartments next to million dollar homes we take the space given and use it
to the best of our ability. Along with this we can raise awareness and get people
to start thinking about this problem. If we can do these things I believe we can
handle the problem of population growth in Bozeman and homelessness as well.
As I looked at facts and statistics given to me "Montana housing shortage" from
let.mt.gov it became clear that this a problem that needs fixing. So with all this
taken into consideration please think about what I have said so we can all begin
to improve our lifestyles and places of living. Thank you for your time I hope this
letter finds you well.
Sincerely,
Jack Repscher, Student, Gallatin highschool
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