HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-08-23 Public Comment - E. Hagmeier - STRFrom:Erin N
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]
Date:Monday, August 7, 2023 9:36:01 PM
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Dear Bozeman City Commission,
As a registered nurse in Bozeman I would like to voice my opposition to any additional ordinances
pertaining to short term rentals in the city of Bozeman. Today I received a call from a friend who is a
nurse and her partner who is a Physician Assistant. They are looking for housing in Bozeman in
November, after doing a travel stent in Yellowstone, so they can complete a travel assignment in our
community for 6 months this winter. If this ordinance is passed where will these vital health care
workers live while they are helping our community with a healthcare provider shortage?
If there are not short term rentals for these workers they will choose to help another community
instead, they will choose an assignment elsewhere. How will that affect the medical care our
community can offer? Do you want longer wait times at the hospital or lack of adequate or quality
healthcare when you need it? Healthcare workers have been through enough in the last few years
and as much as I would like to see all healthcare workers in the Gallatin Valley be permanent
residents of the valley our healthcare system is not in a place for that right now. I would rather work
alongside travel nurses who have housing and are here to help our community than be told we will
be short staffed because our city commission has banned short term rentals and there is a lack of
housing for these workers.
There are so many potential unforseen pitfalls to this potential ordinance, in my opinion it is absolutely not
your place to tell a housing owner that they can not rent to someone of their choice for the time of their
choice and certainly that they can not rent to someone who is here to help with the health and safety of our
community.
Thank You,
Erin Hagmeier, RN, BSN, CLC