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Home My WebLink About03-13-24 Public Comment - A. Nerlin - Homeless_affordable housingFrom:A J To:Agenda Subject:[EXTERNAL]Homeless/affordable housing Date:Wednesday, March 13, 2024 2:05:12 PM 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. Good afternoon. I am writing to you with concerns. I keep seeing social media posts being classist and aggressive towards those that are homeless, and urban campers. I have a lot to say about this. First, here's a short section of my own life. I'm a 5th generation Montanan. I have theexperience of having been homeless myself, in Missoula's Joseph Residence, for 2 years. I was 13 and 14 years old. The max was 2 years, my mom couldn't afford rent, we were booted. We moved into a camper, on a rented lot, in Joliet. CPS was called on my mom, and I endedup in shelter care in Billings for a month. Then I ended up in Three Forks, the day before my junior year of school, with a garbage bag of possessions and the clothes I was taken in, on myback. I had been a good enough student in Missoula that I was regularly getting recognized in English class for my excellent grades. We moved to Joliet mid year, and I struggled to takeyear end tests on different things than I had been learning. In Three Forks, I ended up retaking classes for this reason, and was denied an AP English class, and placed in Technical Writing.It was, quite frankly, absolutely insulting. I graduated just fine. I've been a homeowner in Bozeman, from 2015 until 2020, when I was furloughed. I was told my job was 'too dangerous' as a pharmacy technician, while also having lung disease. I wascertified for years. I am now 'trailer trash' in a trailer park in Bozeman. I pay all my bills, live below my means, pay taxes, and you're welcome to look up my name regarding any law breaking. I might have aparking ticket. I'm a pretty basic, law abiding citizen. I'm also quite an outspoken smart donkey about how people treat those that are less fortunate. How is this on you? Let me count the ways. You keep promising 'affordable' housing. Yet at$28 an hour, or $56k a year, I'm unable to afford anything but trailer trash options. Story mill, is actually laughable. I'm flagged on the application for being a single parent, for owning amobile home, and I don't make enough, even though I work for a Bozeman company that's been here since 1989. I also make $10 more an hour than I did in 2019. You seriously want meto lease land, under a house, because I'm apparently too stupid to see how terrible and predatory that is? Ahem. These apartments? Give. Me. A. Break. I need to pay to apply, make 3x the $1700 to$2000 required, per month, this amount will be raised anytime, without notice. I pay $7800 FOR THE YEAR in lot rent. That's a hard no, folks. Do better. People like to say I'm the dumb redneck, I own and pay lot rent. Like y'all aren't paying morethan I do yearly in taxes. HOA fees. And I can actually save $ and am nearly completely debt free at 39 years old. Here's the kicker. My dad was on the Gallatin County Planning Board for over 2 decades. Heknows Jennifer was a planner, and she KNOWS there needs to be things like trailer parks for us regular folks. Not $1000 a month, regular parks that someone making $20 an hour canafford. A $1500 apartment that's 'affordable' means I need to make $5500 a month to live there. At $28 an hour, I make $4480. Seriously, some of you need to learn basic math. I'm absolutely tired of the sweeping under the rug of people in our community. Shame on you.You caved to pressure to put out garbage bins. Then you cave in to pressure to take them back. Now people are whining about garbage, while you act like basic human services are just toopretentious for those in need, because this town is absolutely ridiculous with rent. What do I say to pretentious high horse riders? Don't like it? Move. If you read the Cowboy State Daily, even good old Jackson Hole is now having to cave. Isuggest, that y'all get with the program. I will be attending meetings, introducing myself, and I will have your wages, housing stipends, and hard questions on my note cards. Get some trailerparks. I know you've turned them down, for more lucrative developments. Get over being drunk on property taxes, folks. Fix this mess. My name is Ashley Nerlin. I know you have a measly 87 community garden plots in a town ofconservatively 50k. I've been called all kinds of names, but I still know what it feels like to be homeless. How it feels to be treated by pretentious attitudes. I worked the bull run at thestockyards, and no person calling me names comes close to thousands of pounds of pissed off bull. I've lived from Missoula to Miles City, and know how actual caring communities are. Let's work together, stop caving to money, and take care of people. Thank you.