HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-30-23 Public Comment - T. Bricker - Urban campingFrom:Terese Bricker
Cc:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Urban camping
Date:Tuesday, August 29, 2023 6:03:07 PM
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Hello! I am writing to you in regards to the increase urban camping in Bozeman
and along our city streets. As a resident of Bozeman this is concerning for amultiple reasons with safety and sanitation being at the highest level. As a city
we need to put an end to this as it will only grow and get worse. The campersthat are unable to move, what are they doing with sewer waste? What sort of
pattern are we allowing by not doing anything about this? The proposal forcampers to move away from parks, schools and businesses is great but it only
pushes them to someone else’s problem. There should be NO camping along citystreets in any way. Cars need to move every few days and allowing campers to
circumvent the law that has been created and enforced is disheartening to lawabiding citizens. I am empathetic to the people that are living in campers but
living in Bozeman has always been "expensive" as it was when I moved here 30+years ago. I firmly believe that people that want to get help and contribute to the
community are already seeking services and support from HRDC, FamilyPromise and other non profits and making every effort to attain long term housing
that provides for themselves and their families. This situation is out of hand andcontinuing to allow this is out of hand. Campers need to be in campgrounds that
have the proper set up versus our streets. If I couldn’t afford to live here, which isgetting more and more expensive for all of us taxpayers, then I would look for a
community that is less expensive so that I can provide for myself and my family. I wouldn’t expect to move onto the street and live for free
I also would encourage you to do the math for the people that say that they are
working full time and living in campers. 40 hours / week at $20 / hour (which isthe standard rate after taxes now in Bozeman) = $800 / week x 4 = $3200 / month.
After several months of living in a camper and paying no rent and payingexpenses such as car payment, insurance, credit card debt, cell phone, insurance
there is money left over that can be saved and built up for a deposit on anapartment. You can save even more if you get a roommate which is how most of
us live now (with friends, spouses, partners or some other arrangement) This ispossible to live here and not live on the street and dump sewer onto our streets
and fields – they just don’t want to. The situations are always complex but thecity cannot allow this to continue.
Sincerely,
Terese Bricker