HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-24-24 Public Comment - R. Dunn - Right to CounselFrom:City of Bozeman, MT
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]*NEW SUBMISSION* Public Comment Form
Date:Sunday, June 23, 2024 11:26:27 PM
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Public Comment Form
Submission #:3290425
IP Address:174.45.249.16
Submission Date:06/23/2024 11:26
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Full Name
Rylee Dunn
Email
ryleeeemd@gmail.com
Phone
(406) 461-8655
Comments
Please see my attached written comment.
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Public Comment 6.25.2024_City Budget.pdf
Thank you,
City Of Bozeman
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Dear Bozeman City Commissioners,
I am writing to express my support for the city budget to allocate spending towards a fully funded Right
to Counsel program for Bozeman tenants. I have heavy concerns about the proposed budget and its
plans to increase both property and utility costs for Bozeman residents; both of these increases will only
continue to drive up the prices for tenants and mortgage-paying homeowners who are already
financially burdened. Housing security should be among the highest of priorities to ensure the safety and
wellbeing of our community and the people who work, reside, and visit in Bozeman. Proposing increases
to police headcount and spending, while ignoring the clear lack of accessible resources for renters—and
housing-burdened individuals alike—is not seeking to address the issue of safety at its roots.
We have been seeing for the past few years how the increased cost of living has resulted in
encampments popping up where working class residents are trying their best to maintain jobs and
day-to-day lives after facing eviction, rent hikes, or opportunistic selling of rental units, without
considering the very real adversities tenants face in the search for secure and affordable housing. In
2023 eviction proceedings, landlords in Bozeman had legal representation 79% of the time, while tenants
only had lawyers 7% of the time; this is a clear imbalance. We can work to alleviate that imbalance,
however, by ensuring both landlords and tenants alike have access and understanding of their rights.
The city budget should turn its attention to meeting the basic needs of Bozeman residents, such as
housing security, food security, public education, and discretionary funding for important city services
that provide us with a better community framework. Bozeman can start working to establish a more fair
local system for all by funding tenants’ Right to Counsel, and focusing on the roots of issues in our
community rather than increasing the size and funding of public safety (through policing) after damage
has been done.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Sincerely,
Rylee Dunn
S Black Ave, Bozeman 59715