HomeMy WebLinkAbout07-23-24 Public Comment - A. Sweeney - Attn_ Commissioners regarding the AHOFrom:Alison Sweeney
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Attn: Commissioners regarding the AHO
Date:Tuesday, July 23, 2024 11:00:44 AM
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Hello Mayor, Deputy Mayor, and Commissioners,
As Commissioner Fischer insightfully remarked, this ordinance is like living with a loaded
gun in the house.
Please consider repealing the current Affordable Housing Ordinance (AHO), so that noadditional projects gain adequacy under this ordinance! The unintended consequences are far
too high, for the unaffordable housing it incentivises.
In the UDC update we have an opportunity, through the use of an affordable housing overlay,and limiting parcel assembly, to create the conditions that discipline land value. This will
create a market in which local small developers and non-profits can build house-scalemultifamily dwellings at affordable prices. I'm not saying it will be easy or fast. But we are
losing our sense of place to speculative land development.
Zoning is a gift. The AHO is essentially an upzoning document that can be applied to any lotin town. Let's make sure we are getting community benefits, especially from redevelopment
in historic neighborhoods!
Why is nobody tearing down beige single family homes out in the west side to buildextractive 5 over 1 monstrosities, rented through anonymous leasing agents who use
algorithms to raise rents to the maximum. Several reasons, but the primary one being ourhistoric neighborhoods have curb appeal. From the built environment, but also from
their economically diverse populations, and intact cultural communities. Which we are losingto redevelopment and gentrification. This ordinance is exacerbating it.
We have hundreds of new units coming online, maybe thousands! We can afford to pause for
a period to recalibrate.
Please repeal the AHO!
Thank you,
Alison B. SweeneyBernadette's Handmade Jewelry
Bozeman MT406-404-5740
alison-bernadettes.com