HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-06-24 Public Comment - E. Allison - UDC Public Comment for 9_17_24From:Emily Allison
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]UDC Public Comment for 9/17/24
Date:Friday, September 6, 2024 3:43:49 PM
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Dear Bozeman City Commissioners,
My name is Emily Allison, and I work at Bridgercare, the local nonprofit reproductive
and sexual healthcare clinic for south central Montana. I am reaching out to you all
today as a representative of Bridgercare, on behalf of our staff and 6,000+ patients.
During the upcoming UDC revision process, we urge you to consider those who are
most affected by the housing affordability crisis – medium to low income individuals
and families, younger people, and marginalized communities. For Bozeman to stay
the vibrant community it is now, both today and into the future, we need to flip the
script on seeing housing as an industry to be managed to that of a basic human
right.
At Bridgercare, unaffordable housing affects both our staff and the people we serve
every day.
These challenges can look a number of different ways and has negative ripple
effects for our work and on our community at large:
We see many patients experiencing anxiety and/or who are in need of social
work services to connect them to community resources. Unstable housing or
living situations often add an additional layer of complication for these
patients.
For example, someone experiencing intimate partner violence might find
it impossible to leave because they literally cannot afford to move away
from their abuser, resulting in the choice to either be unhoused or stay in
an unsafe situation.
Additionally, we hear from patients that fear of losing their home and
having no place to live (the lack of a safety net) is a significant cause of
anxiety for them.
Our Billing staff receive calls monthly from people who make enough money
(250% above federal poverty line) who therefore don’t qualify for our sliding
fee scale, but because of their housing costs (which they say specifically),
cannot pay for their care. Because of this reality, we have special programs in
place to support this missing middle which adds additional financial burden to
our clinic.
Many of our staff are renters and have struggled with the local housing market:
One staff member commuted from Ennis 4 days a week as that was their
most affordable living situation
One staff member lived in a camper that didn’t have running water or
insulation for an entire year because it felt like their only option
When staff move away from Bozeman, many mention the expensive cost
of housing and the fact that they feel like they would never be able to
afford a home here. This turnover hurts Bridgercare as a business
because we lose highly skilled and talented people who want to stay, but
do not see a future for themselves here.
We believe that right now we have a great opportunity to strengthen our current
UDC to maximize affordable housing for all. There seems to be a lot of possibility to
create more affordable housing that would help both our staff and patients, through
efforts like re-legalizing workforce housing options, allowing for the creation of four
plexes and six plexes, and allowing and incentivizing smaller starter homes to be
built on smaller lots.
As always, we encourage you to listen deeply to those most affected by these
issues. We believe that those closest to the challenge should also be closest to
decision making power.
Thank you all so much for all you do for our community!
Emily Allison
Bridgercare Representative
Emily Allison (she/her)
Development Director | Bridgercare
P 406-587-0681 x137
eallison@bridgercare.org
www.bridgercare.org