HomeMy WebLinkAbout08-20-24 Public Comment - R. Dunn - Reevaluate our current Affordable Housing OrdinanceFrom:City of Bozeman, MT
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]*NEW SUBMISSION* Public Comment Form
Date:Tuesday, August 20, 2024 9:22:29 AM
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Public Comment Form
Submission #:3417506
IP Address:216.166.171.188
Submission Date:08/20/2024 9:22
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Full Name
Rylee Dunn
Email
ryleeeemd@gmail.com
Phone
(406) 461-8655
Comments
Please see my attached thoughts and suggestions on the updates proposed to the Affordable Housing Ordinance.
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Public Comment 8.20_RD.pdf
Thank you,
City Of Bozeman
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Dear Commission,
Thank you for recognizing the need to reevaluate our current Affordable Housing Ordinance.I
have spent a great deal of volunteer hours in the past few years learning how to understand and
speak to the lack of affordable housing in Bozeman.As a renter and organizer in this
community,I feel very strongly about finding solutions that address root problems rather than
placating the community further through partial address and incremental improvement.
Although I and many others appreciate the dedicated time and work that has gone into the AHO
recommendations,I ask you to consider a few things:
1.Pause on all new applications to use any of the Shallow or Deep Incentives.As it
currently stands,there is no public oversight process for developers that meet
incentives,and that is a large contributing factor to the failed Guthrie project.The Guthrie
pointed out some glaring flaws and gaps in our current AHO,which is why I strongly urge
any new applications to be halted until a thoughtful conversation can be had at the UDC
meeting in September.If affordable housing is going to be properly addressed and
developed,we need to gather insight and input from community-members who will be
directly impacted by the developments proposed.
2.Repeal the ordinance,effective immediately,and redraft it in conjunction with the
UDC rewrite.Any adjustments to the AHO cannot be properly anticipated until the
Unified Development Code is rewritten,and,per the above–community engagement is a
must.
3.Extending the affordability limit to 60%from 80%and offering a income averaging
are both positive considerations,but this affordability should be maintained in
perpetuity.Similar to some of the federal options for subsidizing affordable housing (ie.
LIHTC),there is effectively an “expiration date”to the mandates of affordability.If we are
interested in mitigating housing shortages in Gallatin Valley,then we need to think about
it as a permanent solution rather than a temporary issue.
We need to consider the long-term impacts on the community–both to Bozeman’s character and
to the residents and families that wish to remain here:including those of low income and
working class status.The vacancy rate in Bozeman has increased to roughly 10%according to
City Staff,but the housing crisis continues on as affordable housing (and enough of it)has not
been effectively implemented with the current incentives offered.We have great opportunity to
garner community input and draft considerate updates to the UDC as well as the AHO,so I
hope you all will consider repealing the existing Affordable Housing Incentives until we can align
on better and more effective ones along with the UDC rewrite.
Thank you for the time you and all of City Staff has put into this matter,and thank you for your
time and consideration in reading my and the community’s suggestions.
Best regards,
Rylee Dunn
906 S Black Ave.59715