HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-29-25 Public Comment - I. Laudon - Bozeman Right to CounselFrom:Isaac Laudon
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Bozeman Right to Counsel
Date:Wednesday, April 23, 2025 11:41:49 AM
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Dear City Commission
I’m going on 30 years in Bozeman, born and raised. I work in the service industry.
Starting when I moved out at 18 years old, I’ve never lived in one place for more than
a year at a time. Things have always been expensive. Because I’ve moved every
year, I haven’t dealt with year by year rent increases, but I’ve seen renting get more
and more expensive.
I’ve been very lucky with my renting experiences. That hasn’t stopped me from finding
myself without a home for a month before. My friends and my community helped me
get by and stay safe.
I don’t see myself living here long term. The easiest and most common way to
socialize here is spending time in bars, which is tiring to me. So much substance use
is at the core of the community here.
I want to live in a community where you don’t need alcohol to spend time together. I
want to live in a community where I can take care of my mental health, and spend
time doing the things that I like to do and contributing meaningfully to my community.
If our community doesn’t start going in a different direction soon, I can’t see myself
staying here, even though I like my home town.
One of the things that keep tenants moving from place to place and keep locals
moving out is that landlords have the power to raise the rent to whatever they would
like to, and tenants have so few options that they feel they must do whatever they can
to just stay in the place they’ve found.
Since only 7% of tenants in Bozeman can afford lawyers when facing eviction, and
the leading reason landlords give for eviction is unpaid or late rent, tenants feel as if
they must pay any number landlords give them.
When tenants know they can find someone to mediate between them and their
landlord to ensure that tenants can stay in their housing and landlords don’t push
people out without reason, more locals will stay safely in their homes.
Fund Right to Counsel and keep locals in Bozeman.
Isaac Laudon
209 N Pondera, Bozeman MT 59718
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