HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-17-23 Public Comment - E. Frisk - Unhoused Community Emme Frisk
,Gallatin High School
% Ms. Warn
4455 Annie St.
Bozeman Mt,59718
March 7, 2023
Bozeman City Commission
121 N Rouse Ave
Bozeman, Mt 59715
Dear Ms. Andrus,
My name is Emme Frisk and I'm a junior at Gallatin High school. Over the past couple years, the homeless
population in Bozeman has skyrocketed. This is due to several reasons but the main one being that the cost of
living, including housing, rent, and groceries, has dramatically increased due to inflation. I have lived in
Bozeman for ten years and have noticed an increase of homelessness across the city. Streets have become
overflowed with trailers, more people are out on the streets begging for money, and there's a surplus of people
living downtown. My proposal to help solve this problem is to create more subsidized housing.
Finding a house in Bozeman is becoming more and more difficult over time. Homes for sale seem to be getting
scarce and farther apart with a skyrocketing demand and a diminishing house supply. According to an article
from the Bozeman Daily Chronicle, "rent is spiking by hundreds of dollars a month and the median price of
single-family homes has doubled in the past year". As a result, many motor homes have been appearing in
local campgrounds, store parking lots, and even side streets. Many are longtime residents that have been
pushed out of their homes because of financial issues. For example, Jennifer Zent, a Bozeman resident since
2006, found herself living in a small camper up in Bear Canyon when her marriage ended last year.
Homelessness is not only someone else's issue, it has an effect on the whole community. Homelessness puts
people at high risk for victimization, poor health, loneliness, depression, and suicide. It impacts the availability
of healthcare resources, crime and safety, the workforce, and the use of tax dollars. According to Caring Works,
"In 2012, Shaun Donovan, the secretary of the U.S. The Housing and Urban Development Department(HUD)
stated that, "...between shelters and emergency rooms and jails, it costs about$40,000 a year for a homeless
person to be on the streets."
As a part of Community Development for the city of Bozeman, you could have a big impact in helping the
homeless in Bozeman. Subsidized housing would be a sufficient impactful solution to suppress the homeless
population around Bozeman. Having more affordable housing around town would provide a satisfactory and
reasonable option for everyone. Coalition for the homelessness states that"Since modern homelessness
began more than thirty years ago, research and experience have overwhelmingly shown that investments in
permanent housing are extraordinarily effective in reducing homelessness—as well as being cost-effective."
Federal housing assistance programs have had a very positive influence on homelessness all around the
country, and having more in Bozeman could benefit all local residents. Overall, homelessness has become a
big problem all across the country and has a big impact on Bozeman in general, but can be solved with more
affordable housing around town.
Thank you for your time and consideration,
Emme Fris