HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-02-25 Public Comment - E. Olsen - Written statement Tenants RightsFrom:Emerson Olsen
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Written statement
Date:Wednesday, April 30, 2025 9:15:46 PM
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Hi,
My name is Emerson Olsen, I'm 26 and a paraprofessional at Hawthorne Elementary School. I have been here in
Bozeman long enough to consider myself a part of a community that is diverse and inclusive for anyone that desires
to set root here. I have gathered enough recent information to conclude that we are not headed in a direction I would
like to see.
I was diagnosed with a tumor in the center of my brain down by my brain stem at age 11. My life journey changed
from an otherwise "independent" lifestyle to relying heavily on the loved ones that surrounded me. After enduring
10+ years of medical surgeries, complications, rehab, my desire for independence grew. I was fortunate enough to
have the required resources and an amazing roommate to split the unreasonable costs for housing, but I sadly cannot
say the same for my peers in the area.
It is paramount to have tenant rights available for exercise. In 2023, Bozeman had 136 evictions and almost none of
those were contested in a court setting regardless of their validity. The imbalance is clear when out-of-state
companies like DEVCO have the ability to use their power to crush a working-class individual based off potential
illegitimate proceedings.
In a county that is rapidly growing with people on the higher end of the socioeconomic scale, we cannot lose sight of
the working-class. People should be defined by their contributions to the community, not their resources.
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