HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-15-24 Public Comment - L. Guenzler - Urgency of Tenant Right to CounselFrom:Lara
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL][Possible Malware Fraud]Urgency of Tenant Right to Counsel
Date:Saturday, June 15, 2024 11:41:40 AM
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Dear Bozeman City Commission,
I am writing to express the urgency of funding a tenant right to counsel program in
Bozeman. Tenant right to counsel programs have proven successful in keeping people in
their homes, reducing homelessness, and increasing equity in cities and counties across
the nation. In 2023, Gallatin County saw 179 eviction cases, 75% of those were in
Bozeman. Only 6% of these tenants were represented by lawyers, compared to 74% of
landlords. Twenty-one percent of evicted tenants were ordered to pay their landlord’s
attorney fees. It is clear there is a massive power differential between tenants and landlords
leading to the displacement of Bozeman tenants. Bozeman needs to give the tools to poor
and working-class people to fight back against power-wielding and predatory landlords.
The most effective tool to protect tenants and their rights is the tenant right to
counsel program. A report by Open Justice Oklahoma found that fully represented tenants
had a 75% increase in odds of staying in their home. A tenant’s right to counsel is effective
at keeping people in their homes and that saves the city money, in addition to the stress,
money, and time saved by the tenant. A report on behalf of the Boston Bar Association
states, “For every dollar spent on full legal representation in eviction cases, the
Commonwealth saves approximately $2.40 on the direct costs associated with
homelessness." It is time for the commission to address the increase of unhoused people in
a meaningful and impactful manner. It is time we stopped the structural causes of
homelessness, rather than addressing the symptoms. A study from Hennepin County, MN,
claims represented tenants facing eviction were four times less likely to use a homeless
shelter than those unrepresented. Tenant right to counsel, according to Stout LLC, leads to
more than 90% of tenants avoiding disruptive displacement. It is clear how vital a tenant’s
right to counsel is to combat the unprecedented housing crisis this community is facing. A
tenant right to counsel is the most impactful program the commission can fund to keep the
poor and working-class of Bozeman safe from the violent cycles of debt, poverty, and
exploitation evicted people are subjected to.
Lara Guenzler
913 S Black Avenue, 59715