HomeMy WebLinkAbout06-24-24 Public Comment - L. Cooney - Funding for year-round shelterFrom:Lander Cooney
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Funding for year-round shelter
Date:Monday, June 24, 2024 10:58:05 AM
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Dear City Commissioners,
Please accept this letter as public comment in support of continued funding for operations at
the HRDC year-round shelter.
In 2019, the number of unhoused people in our community on any given night was
119. In 2024, that number is 409. The housing crisis is impacting unaccompanied
youth, the elderly, families with children, women, and men. Rent and housing prices
continue to outpace wages and inventory is extremely limited. The waitlist for
affordable housing is 12-18 months. Meanwhile, other community safety nets andservices are diminishing or closing their doors.
While temporary shelter is not the answer to our housing crisis, it is a critical and
necessary service to provide to our unhoused neighbors.
Thank you for your ongoing work to address our community's housing needs at all levels
of the housing continuum. I urge you to provide ongoing funding to support operations at
the year-round shelter as part of this process.
Sincerely,
Lander Cooney
514 N. 9th Ave.
Bozeman, MT 59715