HomeMy WebLinkAbout10-17-23 Public Comment - J. & S. Prickett - Vote NO on Ordinance 2149From:JEFF STACY PRICKETT
To:Agenda
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Vote NO on Ordinance 2149
Date:Monday, October 16, 2023 5:56:41 PM
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To the men and women of the City Commission,
As a homeowner of an STR, my husband and I have lived in Bozeman 27 years raising our family here. We have
used this supplemental income to pay our mortgage, electricity, city water, snow removal, landscape etc. I am
currently recovering from heart surgery, so having the little amount of positive income we bring in from our STR
contributes. With costs rising every day for groceries, gas, and necessities, we could not make ends meet if we did
not have this supplemental income.
We do not believe that banning all STR‘s, no matter what Type 1,2 or 3, would alleviate the affordable housing
issue. Our home, with the current median value would not be considered affordable housing. If we were to choose to
sell, our current licensed STR would not be transferable, which could negatively affect our offers. We have taken
time and finance to make our home appealing to the greater Bozeman, Montana residents, and beyond. It is
important to note that all of the homes that our management company oversees are held to a higher standard,
keeping our neighborhoods beautiful, clean, safe and affordable.
Ordinance 2149 states that the hotel industry is suffering because of STR’s. For every booking we receive, an 8%
lodging tax is added, just like the hotel Industry. STR’s in Bozeman are at 1.36% of the total lodging inventory.
That is a very small percentage but a vital one. In our opinion, with that small of a percentage, the argument cannot
be founded. This past weekend was MSU‘s parents' weekend. The family that stayed in our home left a thank you
note. They cooked, grilled and enjoyed family time in one space rather than in a public area of a hotel. With the
high cost of higher education, Montana students and their families deserve some options other than hotel and/or bed
and breakfast. This ordinance is unreasonable, unfair and unnecessary to remove STR’s as an option.
We would ask that you vote NO on Ordinance 2149, it will be detrimental to our community and our family.
Sincerely,
Jeff and Stacy Prickett