HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-17-23 Public Comment - D. Podzemny - Unhoused Community D. Podzemny
4455 Annie Street
Bozeman, MT 59718
3rd April 2023
Bozeman City Commission
121 N Rouse Ave
Bozeman, MT 59715
Dear Bozeman City Commission,
Hello, I hope all is well with you, I am a Junior at Gallatin High School named
D. Podzemny. I'm writing today to talk about the homelessness and
displacement of Bozeman residents, a problem that continues to grow
alongside the expansion of the city.
From 2019 to 2021, the rate of homelessness has increased by a whopping
35%. Our citizens who have spent most, if not all of their lives here have
been forced to move out, feeling they've lost a place in our community.
The trends in housing cost and vacancy have been moving in opposite
directions in Bozeman recently. While the vacancy is seeing a slow increase,
the prices of home and rent have been coming to a standstill. Our local
landlords who rent their own properties out have been facing scrutiny and
harassment online for raising their rent in order to keep up with the cost of
living, primarily taxes. Some of our locals have faced threats of violence and
even lynching because of this, an absolutely heinous response. "No one can
afford to live here," is what people are saying, and they have a point. Yet,
those who can afford to live here have somehow become an enemy.
Something needs to be put in place to prevent further inflation of Bozeman's
housing market. This January, a house that was once $450,000 in 2019, has
almost doubled to $814,000. Checking sites like Zillow, renting a 3 bedroom
house in Bozeman will cost you around $8,000 a month, which is between
double to quadruple the rent in other counties and neighboring states. The
housing market spike we saw between 2020 and 2022 is starting to lessen,
and Bozeman's prices need to follow.
Some may argue that regulation doesn't matter, people will continue to buy
these houses at the highest price. They may also argue that lowering prices
will bring more people in than Bozeman can handle again. While both are
reasonable concerns, people moving in is inevitable as Bozeman becomes
more popular. Backs have been unfairly turned on our long time residents
and lower income families, driving them away from our beautiful community.
Montana has no rent control, and it's up to Bozeman as a city to take the
initiative and make it affordable for future generations of Montanans. Setting
a standard for rent prices will not only prevent the greedy from keeping prices
high but will also bring our Bozeman residents home. Investment from the
state into jobs and the housing market has potential to strengthen Bozeman's
economy and community on top of that. It's beautiful here and that deserves
to be shared.
Thank you for your time,
D
D. Podzemny
Junior at Gallatin High School
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