HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-01-25 Public Comment - J. Carter - Tenant Right to CounselFrom:Jeanne Carter
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Tenant Right to Counsel
Date:Sunday, November 30, 2025 8:06:16 PM
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Dear Mayor Terry Cunningham, Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison, Mayor Elect/Commissioner
Doug Fischer, Commissioner Emma Bode, Commissioner Jennifer Madgic:
My name is Jeanne Carter. I have worked at MSU and owned and lived in an old house on
South 3rd in the Bon Ton historic district for 34 years. In the last 5 years, I was able to
renovate an attached extension into a 2 bedroom apartment. I rent that out and have
housemates who live in my upstairs.
One of my principles as a landlord is to provide housing to people who work here at a
reasonable rate. I am able to do this while still maintaining financial stability because, as a
property owner, I acquire equity in the property, control how much rent to charge, and
benefit from tax deductions associated with ownership. Yes, I hear fellow property owners
complain about the burden of property taxes, repairs, and maintenance costs. But, to me,
these are part of the cost of doing business. Owning property is an investment, and with it
comes both the opportunity for financial gain and the responsibility for upkeep.
For tenants, it's a different story. They are subject to high rents, low availability and can be
evicted for allegedly violating a term in their contract almost literally without recourse. I
Googled tenant response to eviction and was taken aback at how difficult - and almost
impossible - it is for a tenant to dispute an eviction. After a landlord files an eviction
complaint, the tenant has 5 days to answer a 21 page document of instructions and forms.
This leads to a harmful and impractical power dynamic where tenants can be evicted for
unfair reasons, and meanwhile landlords like me are protected in nearly every way.
Furthermore, as a landlord, I depend on my tenants to keep me financially afloat, but I don’t
have to worry about losing my housing if something happens in my life like medical bills or
losing my job.
Not only is this financial and legal imbalance unfair, it hampers community growth and
innovation and leaves value on the table as folks with various talents, skills and ability give
up and leave the community. Without Tenant Right to Counsel, landlords and property
rental companies that are focused solely on enforcing the terms of their lease agreements
will miss important conversations with the tenants they depend on.
I want to live in a community of mutual support that recognizes the contributions that
tenants have made, and will always make, to our community. Tenants are our neighbors,
teachers, students, children, elders, coworkers, and friends, and they deserve protection
and a semblance of support when faced with the stressful and frightening prospect of
eviction.
The strongest risk-management strategy is fostering mutual success. Dedicating resources
to ensure tenants have access to legal counsel is a concrete step toward that goal. I urge
you to fully fund and sign into ordinance a robust Right to Counsel program.
Thank you,
Jeanne Carter