HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-08-25 Public Comment - E. Killenberg - Support Right to CounselFrom:Eva Killenberg
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Support Right to Counsel
Date:Tuesday, April 8, 2025 11:27:37 AM
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To the Bozeman City Commission,
I am a graduate student at MSU for the College of Engineering. I am part of the MSU horn
ensemble. I enjoy outdoor recreation activities such as hiking, kayaking, and snowshoeing.
I spend time with my friends in downtown Bozeman.
My renting experience has been hit or miss. Everywhere it is expensive, especially on my
salary working minimum wage jobs and doing research at the college. It is extremely
stressful to live paycheck to paycheck, often not getting what you’re paying for. In my
experience renting from a corporate landlord, I took over a lease from a former roommate
and was asked to pay $700 of the former tenant’s damage deposit, expecting to get this
money back when I left. Instead, I was not given this money and was charged additional
fees for things outside of my control –– appliances that were faulty and not fixed my
property management, charging a processing fee for carpet cleaning after ours canceled,
even minute details like the brand of grease catching pans for the stove. The most
frustrating was a $125 “reevaluation” charge after the property manager gave us 15
minutes to finish sweeping prior to our move out inspection. On top of it all, our deposit was
$1450, they gave us back $500.
In the middle of all this, I was moving to a more expensive apartment to accommodate our
new pet. I needed to pay a larger damage deposit for this new rental. I needed to make an
emergency trip home, completely depleting my savings. I feel lucky that I avoided eviction
during this time. An eviction would be incredibly disruptive for me, jeopardizing my work,
schooling, physical and mental health. This type of financial and emotional stress impacts
me, my roommates, and my family — and the money I am unfairly giving up lines the
corporate landlords pockets. I am tired of paying so much to live, study, and work in
Bozeman.
I believe Right to Counsel will give tenants a voice and ensure them that their life and
needs matter. It shows that the city cares about the safety and health of working people,
not the profits of landlords. If people like me are constantly worried that their housing could
be ripped away, they are less able to fully participate in life. Housing is a human right and it
should be affordable and not under constant threat. I urge the commission to allocate the
budget for this program.
Anonymous Resident of Cattail Creek