HomeMy WebLinkAbout05-03-25 Public Comment - J. Burgo - Support Tenant Right to CounselFrom:Jacob Burgo
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Support Tenant Right to Counsel
Date:Friday, May 2, 2025 9:47:10 PM
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Dear City Commission,
My name is Jacob Burgo. I’ve lived here in Bozeman for almost 10 years, I work in MSU’s
Catering department, and I’m a member of Bozeman Tenants United. I moved here to studypaleontology at MSU, and I stayed here because my friends and community made this city feel
like home. At the end of November, a year and a half ago, I found out the home I was renting was being
sold. After the original buyer fell through, I spent the next few months sweating about whetherthe new owner would raise the rent or worse, stop renting to us altogether. When it finally
sold, the new landlord didn’t send us any information for about two weeks, and their firstcommunication was to end our month to month lease and offer us a “take it or leave it” year-
long lease at 68% higher rent. Shortly afterward, they threatened to send us a 3 Day Correct or Vacate over a “missing”
rent payment that, upon investigation, had been accidentally sent to the previous owner andthen forwarded to the current owner. My housemate HAD paid on time and the landlord HAD
received the payment on time, but because it hadn’t gone through the property management,all of us were threatened with eviction. I wasn’t willing to live under that kind of treatment for
another year, for 68% more money, and decided I had to find a new place. The next month, the property manager texted, emailed, and called me about the rent that I
had already paid. I was indignant at getting harassed even after having done my part correctly,and infuriated when I finally talked to the property manager - it took him a mere 30 seconds of
checking his own records to confirm that I had in fact paid on time. I rapidly packed my things, and got a lease in a new place signed just two days before I
wouldn’t have anywhere else to go. One of my housemates talked about staying in the placeeven after our lease expired. I wasn’t willing to take that chance because I knew my landlord
could afford a lawyer, but I could not. That power imbalance is why I support Right to Counsel. Tenants like me don’t have a fair
chance against a trained lawyer: 96% of Bozeman’s 2023 eviction cases ended with tenantslosing their homes. In stark contrast, tenants with legal representation through Right to
Counsel stay in their homes up to 93% of the time I’ve stayed in this town because this is where I’ve built a community, and I see that
community threatened by eviction. Fund Right to Counsel and keep service workers andscientists in Bozeman.
Jacob Burgo
Southeast Neighborhood of Bozeman