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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-20-23 Public Comment - J. Strout - ]Public Comment on Adoption of Regulations for Camping on City Right-of-WayFrom:Jan Strout To:Agenda Subject:[EXTERNAL]Public Comment on Adoption of Regulations for Camping on City Right-of-Way Date:Tuesday, September 19, 2023 9:21:31 PM Attachments:Public Comment on Urban Camping Ordinance 9.19.23.docx 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. Please see Public Comment attached. In sisterhood and solidarity, Jan Jan Strout pronouns: she/ella co-leader, Bozeman City for CEDAW women's human rights Task Force Like Us! Facebook Bozeman, Montana 206.251.0880 "If you are free, free somebody else. If you have some power, your job is to empower somebody else." - Toni Morrison Good evening Mayor and Bozeman City Commissioners, My name is Jan Strout, pro-nouns she/hers, and I live in NW Bozeman. I am here to share Public Comment on the proposed Ordinance to regulate Urban Camping, the “Adoption of Regulations for Camping on City Right-of-Way.” I stand in Opposition to this Ordinance and am pleased to support the recommendations from both the Human Development Resource Council and your Economic Vitality Citizens Advisory Board. City Commissioners, I respectfully submit that it is time to Walk the Talk by defeating this proposed Ordinance and actually strengthening a number of City Policies and Strategic Plans which claim to advance Bozeman as a Welcoming City and one that prioritizes human rights for the diversity of women and girls, members of the BIPOC as well as the LGBTQ2S communities through our laws and policies. However, this ‘punishment of the Urban Camping working poor’ Ordinance, and the lack of bold imagination and implementation of our hard-fought human rights Ordinances such as the LGBTQ2S Non-Discrimination, Pay Equity, and now Bozeman City for CEDAW women’s human rights Resolutions run counter to our stated values. Bozeman Residents who are “Urban Camping” likely have 1 or more low paying jobs, probably no benefits such as health care or sick leave, are trying to live in the community where they work, and may also have disabilities - all with scarce social services thanks to the State’s defunding of Medicaid, child care, food security and mental health services. Among other basics that barely keep low- and no-income neighbors afloat. The rise of “Urban Campers” and so many who are homeless is fundamentally about deep economic insecurity and unfairness from the growing divide of wealth and poverty in our community and nation. But what do we know? I know that friends in my life are: 1 paycheck away from Urban Camping or the temporary Shelters and Tiny Houses filled beyond capacity, 1 more violent beating with our new Community DV Shelter overflowing, 1 Eviction by the new Apartment Owner that unfairly raised the rent as well as the security deposit with 30 days notice and no other housing options available than Urban Camping The proposed City Ordinance is not the Solution and again goes against what our Bozeman claims to stand for. We need housing security for better economic security and the only Ordinances that need to be adopted recognize the structural violence of poverty, inequality and hopelessness. I urge you to work with the residents most impacted and committed organizations and businesses to meet this challenge with both hearts and minds. Let’s finally Walk Our Talk!