HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-04-25 Public Comment - S. Jones - Opposition to Provisional Adoption of Tenant Right to CounselFrom:Sarah Jones
To:Bozeman Public Comment
Subject:[EXTERNAL]Opposition to Provisional Adoption of Tenant Right to Counsel
Date:Tuesday, December 2, 2025 12:17:24 PM
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Dear Members of the Bozeman City Commission,
I hope you are well. I am writing to raise serious concerns and express my opposition to the
proposed ordinance for a city-funded “Tenant Right to Counsel” and related landlord/tenant
mediation.
After thoughtful consideration, I believe this proposal may lead to several unintended and adverseconsequences for our community:
1. Increased cost burden on landlords and tenants — leading to higher rents. As some local
landlords have warned, mandating publicly funded legal representation may increase the
costs of doing business for smaller landlords, who may be forced to offset that cost through
increased rent or eviction of long-term tenants. This could exacerbate affordability problems
rather than solve them.
2. Risk of misuse of public funds for minor grievances. There is concern that tenants could usetaxpayer-funded legal aid not just for serious eviction cases, but also over minor or subjectivecomplaints, which could expose landlords to frivolous lawsuits or retaliatory claims. This raisesquestions about fair use of public resources.
3. Limited assurance of effective implementation. According to recent national research, many
“right to counsel” programs face chronic challenge, such as underfunding, staffing shortages,
and limited reach, that prevent them from delivering on their intended goals. This suggests
Bozeman’s program may fall short of its objectives or require significantly more public funding
than anticipated.
4. Potential negative impact on rental market stability. If landlords anticipate greater legal riskand increased costs, some may choose to reduce rental inventory, convert rentals to owner-occupied units, or stop renting altogether, reducing available housing stock and possiblyincreasing cost and rents for locals who are currently struggling with the high rental rates.
5. Unclear benefits relative to cost. The city currently appears to lack clarity on how many
tenants would realistically benefit, how the program would be funded long-term, or how
success would be measured. Without thorough fiscal analysis and safeguards, this appears to
be a risky policy with uncertain outcomes.
Given these concerns, I urge the Commission to oppose this ordinance! Furthermore, publichearings should be scheduled at times accessible to working residents to ensure broad civic inputand transparent deliberation.
Thank you for your dedication to our community and for considering this feedback. I appreciate your
willingness to hear from locals who want to continue living in Bozeman.
Sincerely,Sarah JonesA current renter and born-and-raised Gallatin Valley resident who hopes to remain in Bozeman.