HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-02-23 Public Comment - A. & R. Harris - Proposed Ord. 2149-9.26.23From:amandabharris7@gmail.com
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Proposed Ord. 2149-9.26.23
Date:Monday, October 2, 2023 11:42:57 AM
Attachments:Letter to Commissioners on STRental 10.2.23.pdf
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Amanda and Robert Harris
Slowly LLC
4007 McCullough Ave, Unit 615
San Antonio, Texas 78212
Amandabharris7@gmail.com
210-373-5154
City Commission
PO Box 1230
Bozeman, MT 59771
Dear Commissioners,
My name is Amanda Harris. My husband and I own a historic home at 624 South Willson (STR20-00367)
which we purchased in 2014 and completely renovated in 2015. Since then, we have offered our family
vacation home as a short-term rental through Mountain Home Vacation Rentals for the 50% of the time
when we are not here in Bozeman. Mountain Home has 9 full-time staff members who support us and
our guests in this activity.
95% of stays in our house are large families, since we are on a large lot with good parking and our Short-
Term license accommodates up to 11 people. One reason those families choose a vacation in Bozeman is
because we offer vacation housing that the hotels do not. The whole family can stay together in one
house, in walking distance to downtown, where they can shop, eat out and spend money. I know this
because I have our extended family coming for Christmas and I have rented an additional house on
South Willson so we can accommodate all the 20 relatives who are coming.
If you take away my Type 3 short-term rental license, I will not offer my house as a long-term rental. It
will sit vacant, as many of the houses on South Willson do already and I will seek to reduce the cost of
maintenance and upkeep. The families that currently vacation at my house will go to a town where they
can stay together, cook meals together, gather in the evenings for fire watching and board games and
walk downtown for their shopping and eating out.
I want to highlight these issues regarding Short Term Rentals in Bozeman.
• Without a short-term rental license, my house will not be available as a long-term rental.
• Short term rental income helped pay for the renovation of my historic house and mandates a
high level of maintenance and upkeep which benefits the neighborhood.
• Short term rental of my house means it does not sit empty on a major road thoroughfare of
Bozeman when I am not here.
• Family accommodation availability in town contributes to the overall economic health of
Bozeman’s downtown center without contributing to the parking problems.
• Management, cleaning, and maintenance of my house contribute to 9 full time positions in
Bozeman at Mountain Home Vacation Rentals.
• Alternative family accommodation in town is not available in hotels. Absent these large family
stay options, families will stay outside of town or move their vacation to West Yellowstone or
Livingston.
I urge you to take these issues into account as you deliberate this decision. Thank you for your
consideration.
Sincerely,
Amanda and Robert Harris
STR20-00367