HomeMy WebLinkAbout09-23-24 Public Comment - D. Kirschner - Anti-Trust Crimes involving Rental Rates in Bozeman - A Possible SolutionFrom:Dan
To:Joey Morrison; Bozeman Public CommentSubject:[EXTERNAL]Anti-Trust Crimes involving Rental Rates in Bozeman - A Possible SolutionDate:Monday, September 23, 2024 12:21:03 PM
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Hello Deputy Mayor Morrison;
I sent a similar message to Mayor Cunningham. Due to the time due-date [deadline], the message I sent Mayor Cunningham contained a few spelling and grammar
errors.
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The causes of artificially high rental housing costs (rates) in Bozeman can be argued ad nauseam with people never reaching agreement as to the exact cause(s) and/orwhich cause is primarily responsible for the current situation.
Hopefully you agree with the following four items:
1) Rental housing costs [rates] are too high in Bozeman.
2) There is no easy "one-size-fits-all" solution to solving the problem [i.e., lowering rent housing costs].
3) A multi-disciplinary approach is needed to reduce rental housing costs in Bozeman.
4) It is the duty-responsibility of the Bozeman City government to lead the way on having affordable housing inside Bozeman City Limits.
Please consider the following situation and proposed action as one possible solution:
PREMISE: UNLAWFUL RENTAL PRICE FIXING IN USA
Across the USA, some rental property real estate landlords are unlawfully price-fixing rental rates - i.e., setting rent for housing at artificially high rates.
Corporate entities ("companies"), including RealPage (which uses YieldStar Computer Program) are utilizing computer software programs including IVAN AI; RentalNetwork Software; and, Walter, to violate USA anti-trust laws.
As proof of these crimes, the USA Department of Justice ("DOJ") is currently prosecuting several companies for antitrust crimes involving artificially setting very high
housing rental rates in USA Cities (like Atlanta).
One can reasonably presume Bozeman-based companies and companies owning rental properties in Bozeman, are committing the exact same antitrust rent-fixing crimesin Bozeman, Montana.
SOLUTION: RENT CONTROL AT LOCAL LEVEL
All too often we hear the City of Bozeman is legally barred from addressing issues related to Rent Control and Zoning because "Helena" (and/or the Legislature and/or
the MCA) prohibits local involvement in Zoning, Rent Control and related areas (which could impact-control rental rates).
To solve the problem of cities not being able to control-influence rental housing rates, Montana needs a voter initiated ballot referendum ["VIBR"] which enables Montanacity governments to have the legal [via a Montana Constitutional Amendment] ability to have a certain amount of control-influence in the attendant governance activitiesrelated to rental housing rates so that each local city can control-influence housing rental rates.
Be it zoning, setting limits on the amount and/or number of real estate rental properties owned-controlled, actual rent control, etc., Bozeman should direct the CityAttorney to investigate how Bozeman can legally be part of a VIBR designed to grant Bozeman the Constitutional Authority to have effective powers to control-influencerental housing rates. One can even envision all of the Montana City Governments having a meeting to discuss this issue so as to coordinate an effort to be involvedand/or lead the VIBR.
Thanks in advance for considering this solution.very respectfully yours;Dan Kirschner