HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-10-25 Public Comment - S. Hanna - Concerned citizens thoughts (RtoC)From:Shane Hanna
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Concerned citizens thoughts
Date:Thursday, April 10, 2025 3:13:55 PM
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My name is Shane Hanna. I have lived in Bozeman since 1989, and I’m
currently unhoused. I grew up in Butte, MT. I have owned a home in Bozeman and I
have rented many homes and apartments. I have been evicted in Bozeman before.
I have a Class A CDL and have been a professional driver for several decades
working over the road and locally in Bozeman. Any other city that I am familiar with in
Montana would be affordable to live in given my earning ability. However, Bozeman is
the outlier. Wages are high in Bozeman but not nearly high enough to make it
comfortable to live here.
It’s disheartening to see how Bozeman has changed. When I was a kid,
Bozeman was a cool little cowboy town. It makes me sad to see Bozeman go from
this quaint little town to this metropolitan feeling community that attracts many people
here with its allure. Perhaps the most damaging thing of all is the fact that this
transformation has only really affected the locals or long time residents as we have
seen everything become unaffordable for us.
After my divorce a few years ago, I found myself unemployed and depressed
and looking for a new job. During that time I became late on rent. I lived in the
apartment for 5 years and it was owned by a private individual and he was always
easy to deal with if rent was late or any other situation. A few months prior to my
eviction he contracted with a property management company and they eliminated any
personal relationship between renter and landlord. It was very by the book and when I
became late I was given a notice to vacate. I was re-employed shortly after being
evicted and I believe that if I had representation I would have successfully been able
to navigate this eviction and been able to become current on rent and late fees, and
keep my housing.
A 2015 study showed that litigants with lawyers were anywhere from eight to
over 200 times more likely to win their case than those without counsel. When 93% of
tenants in Bozeman can’t afford lawyers, that means that 96% of tenants lose their
cases and their homes. In the 17 cities and 5 states where Right to Counsel has been
instated, eviction rates drop, and tenants win their cases up to 90% of the time, just
because they have representation. Having lawyers for tenants facing eviction means
that tenants can stay in their homes and work out arrangements that work well for
everyone with their landlords, with the help of mediation.
I have lived in Bozeman for a long time. I have seen it go from a nice
affordable community to a city that no longer exemplifies the values which Montana
has always been known for. There is an extreme shortage of unskilled workers in
Bozeman and the lack of affordable housing is making things much worse.
Most people facing eviction are not in a position to hire an attorney. If they
were, they probably wouldn't be behind on rent. This creates a power imbalance
between landlord and tenant. I would like to see Bozeman re-embrace those values
that I think that it once had. Fund Right to Counsel to keep tenants in their homes.
Shane Hanna
Bozeman,MT