HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-16-23 Public Comment - P. Nelson - Ordinance 2149--Proposed Ban on STRs in BozemanFrom:Phillip Nelson
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Ordinance 2149--Proposed Ban on STRs in Bozeman
Date:Monday, October 16, 2023 12:46:10 PM
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To Whom It May Concern:
I understand the Bozeman City Commission will imminently consider a proposal to ban short-
term rental properties in Bozeman. Please pass the below message for the commissioners'consideration.
I was born in Bozeman, grew up in Bozeman, and my Bozeman property has been my primary
residence since 1961. I vote in Bozeman and pay taxes in Montana. I am a Foreign ServiceOfficer who works overseas for the U.S. government in embassies, and am currently working
at a U.S. military base in Germany. I have no other home in the U.S. except my Bozemanhome. I remodeled the house in 2008-2010 to create a home for my children to come back to
in summers and holidays; as a secondary consideration I turned the property into a vacationrental in 2011. I plan to retire in Bozeman.
While I am sympathetic to a lack of housing in Bozeman, I am convinced that banning STRs
will not help the situation, as STRs make up less than 1.5% of Bozeman's total housing stockaccording to a study I saw. If I am not allowed to rent out my primary residence short-term, I
will not sell it nor will I rent it out long-term. I believe many other STR owners are in asimilar situation, so the impact of banning STRs would be very minimal on Bozeman's
housing supply.
I would also like to point out the positive effects that STRs have on Bozeman: 1) guests arerequired to pay an 8% tax, which goes to Bozeman's finances; 2) STRs provide employment
for many people associated with the reservation/maintenance of the residences; and 3) STRsarguably provide a more comfortable and family-friendly lodging experience than a hotel
room for those traveling to Bozeman for weddings, MSU graduations, and larger family get-togethers. STRs are good for Bozeman's economy, and their elimination would have an
extremely negligible impact on the housing stock.
In summary, I am strongly opposed to Ordinance 2149. I support the continued availability ofSTRs in Bozeman in a transparent and regulated manner.
Regards, Phillip Nelson