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Home My WebLink About09-19-23 Public Comment - T. Goebel - Vote No on Ordinance 2147From:Tia Goebel To:Agenda Subject:[EXTERNAL]Vote No on Ordinance 2147 Date:Monday, September 18, 2023 6:16:58 PM CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. My name is Tia Goebel and I am a leader of Bozeman Tenants United. I live at 1140 N Pinecrest Dr. I'm here to ask you to vote NO to ordinance 2147. I have worked at the HRDC Warming Center and have had many conversations and hold relationships with people that have and are experiencing homelessness. A few years ago, I myself was very close to homelessness. This up close and personal perspective makes something very clear. This ordinance is violent.It's wrong. It's dangerous. I am also against the changes that HRDC has proposed. We need to devote resources to supporting people in crisis, not targeting them, fining them, and putting more barriers in place for them to get back on their feet. Mayor Andrus, a few weeks ago when we were talking about short term rentals, you openedthe meeting saying that we are all neighbors. That's true. People experiencing homelessness are our neighbors. People who are working in this city and staying at the shelter at night or sleeping in their vehicle are our neighbors. People who getevicted are our neighbors. People just passing through Bozeman are our neighbors. People who we have never met and are trying to better their own lives are our neighbors. I ask you to treat our neighbors, not just the wealthy and privileged, with dignity and respect. The process around this ordinance is moving faster than many others have and this begs thequestion: why? Could it possibly be because it targets people poor and working people? Could it be because a few people are uncomfortable about homelessness existing? If we are souncomfortable with homelessness as an issue, let's commit to real, humanitarian ways of solving it. Everyone is more than the worst thing they have ever done. Everyone is more than theirdarkest days. You have a moral choice tonight - to kick people while they are down or explore real, compassionate solutions. I ask you to say no to this ordinance and instead explore ways to better resource our neighbors,ALL of our neighbors. Thank you for your work. I appreciate your time.