HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-16-23 Public Comment - M. Rutkowski - Opposition to Ordinance 2149From:M R
To:Agenda
Cc:stephanie.baucus@moultonbellingham.com
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Opposition to Ordinance 2149
Date:Monday, October 16, 2023 11:39:52 AM
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.
To the Bozeman City Commission:
My name is Michael Rutkowski, and I am a local STR owner for the past 22 years inBozeman, and am writing in opposition to Ordinance 2149.
I have spent my 20's and 30's in Bozeman working hard and sacrificing, to purchase my
property and use it within reason of zoning laws. I think the City needs a more balancedCommission, to hear from people like myself. I have been growing more anxious about my
family's future here, not because my business is failing or because I can't afford to pay thiscity's inflated taxes, but because there is more crime, rape, theft, and drugs on the street, which
the City has failed to address. Why is the City not enforcing parking ordinances and letting thestreets to rot, but still considering laws to get rid of successful local businesses? To me, in a
tourist town such as Bozeman, that is mind boggling to even consider. If there was no demandfor these STR's then they would simply not exist. The market has settled at 2.5% of housing
units as STR for the fact that we are a tourist economy.
I have 3 children, who attend Bozeman schools, and have to pay high taxes living here, tomaintain this town and pay the wages of City employees. I also have to suffer high prices and
inflation, which is not exclusive to Bozeman I might add. I have done nothing wrong byowning a vacation rental business, but yet, I feel as if the City Commission solely caters to the
Bozeman Tenant Union as of late. We have been demonized by this group, and so now, whenthey previously had my support to limit type 3 rentals, they have lost my support altogether
after just a little bit of research into the members.
I am wondering about a few things in regard to this ordinance, which I hope you can addressat the vote tomorrow:
Why is the City ignoring the advice of Mr. Murphy who states that the "math doesn'tadd up" with regards to the banning of STR's? It seems as if he is a professional, whose
job it is to know and research this matter, and then deliver the facts to the Commission?Does the Commission see him as unqualified, or what is the rationale behind ignoring
his statements?With more and more STR's going into the LTR market, day by day, does the City
acknowledge that perhaps they are too slow in their data gathering to make a decisionthat affects the livelihood of thousands of people? Would it perhaps be wiser to watch
and see as more and more properties cannot bear the vacancies, and go LTR? Why is the City not putting priority to the home and property owners who bear the brunt
of the taxes and cost of maintenance of property, but instead at meetings, theCommission seems cater to the Bozeman Tenant Union, whose founding members are
new to this community? In fact, some members have received training in NY, at theSunrise Movement, on how to take over local politics in small towns. It seems, at least
in the business community, that the Commission listens with intent to these people as
they have been trained on how to manipulate politics.How will the City deal with the impending lawsuit from various property management
companies and owners, represented by the Moulton Bellingham law firm? How will thislitigation affect the City's bottom line and its ability to fund local projects and maintain
the City? Certainly an injunction would be granted in order to fully hash out thisordinance, to be certain that it wasn't a poor decision affected by a passionate agenda.
An injunction would thereby changing nothing for BTU's demands, and cost the Citytens of millions of dollars over many years. Is the City Commission ready for that new
reality for the conceivable future, in terms of funds and expertise?It seems as if the facts and figures, presented by Mr Murphy, seem to indicate that
banning STR's doesn't "add up". Is it possible that the BTU, has convinced theCommission of their agenda, by just being the squeaky wheel, while the rest of us
property owners and business people are kept busy trying to keep up with inflated costs,and paying taxes?
How is freeing up a small percentage of housing units, many of which are luxuryrentals, going to help poor folks get into some housing? Do you believe that these units
will be "affordable" for working class folks or students?Is the City out of touch with the business people and homeowners who are worried
about the direction the Commission is taking us? Is the business and property ownerclass under represented by City officials in this administration?
Why is the City cracking down so hard on STR's (which with all types make up lessthan 2.5% of total housing units)? Why do people breaking the law by living in trailers
get breaks constantly? Even when they are creating a health and safety issue?How are you going to police STR owners to ensure they are home 70% of the time?
This would be a violation of my privacy, and I will not stand for any "questioning" or"provide evidence" that I'm in my home. That will not work for most Montanans,
regardless of whether they do that in Portland or NYC. I will just simply not participatein any "evidence gathering" to prove I was in my home. How would the City deal with
people like myself?Why is the City not working with MSU to build more housing for the Bozeman Tenant
Union members who are students, on campus? That would probably solve 75% of theirproblem. Why does MSU always get a free pass in this regard? Why doesn't BTU lobby
MSU to house their students?Are property owners being punished by the City? Because 2.5% of housing units are
STR's? Are any members of the Commission going into this vote with an agendaalready laid out in their minds?
I believe, with all of my heart, that the City has done nothing to solve this homelessness andaffordable housing issue besides having meetings. The fact that affordable housing which has
been built thus far, need to be subsidized, should be a wake up call that real estate is expensiveand rents will never go down again. In fact with more regulations and taxes, rents consistently
go up, as per historical statistics we have.
There is no reality where I will rent my home to college students, or homeless people, or evenfamilies. It is absolutely not set up for that. My property has had families in it in the past, and
they all say it is too small. I used to rent to college kids, and they destroyed my property. Thisis my right as a property owner. Now with movements like Rent Strike and the BTU, I do not
feel safe renting long term to these people.
Again, I have worked hard for what I have, and my business. I will not just let it slip by, and I
will stand along with other property owners and business owners.
One final question for the City Commission: How would you feel when you have beenworking hard to build up this community over 20+ years and then watch the City create an
existential threat to my livelihood that I have worked so hard to create for me, my family, andour 20+ employees and contractors, who also live in Bozeman and the surrounding areas?
Sincerely,
Michael Rutkowski