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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-28-26 Public Comment - C. Smith - Request for City and County Commissioners to Walk King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows with Residents From: Mike Maas To: Bozeman City Commission Cc: Bozeman Public Comment Subject: FW: [EXTERNAL]Request for City and County Commissioners to Walk King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows with Residents Date: Monday,April 27,2026 12:13:25 PM Attachments: Community Ask Flyer.ono FYI From: Cynthia Smith <cynthia.logan.smith@gmail.com> Sent: Friday,April 24, 2026 7:24 PM To: Commission@GaIlatin.mt.gov; Bozeman City Clerks Department <BozemanClerksDepartment@bozemanmt.gov> Subject: [EXTERNAL]Request for City and County Commissioners to Walk King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows with Residents CAUTION:This email originated from outside of the organization. Do not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe. Dear City and County Commissioners, We are writing on behalf of residents, neighbors, and supporters of King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows Estates to ask you to come walk through our communities with us and hear directly from the people being affected by rapidly rising lot rent, housing insecurity, and the growing loss of affordable manufactured-home communities in Bozeman and Gallatin County. Our request is simple: please schedule a walk-through of King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows Estates with residents, Montana Mobile Home Communities, and local supporters so we can discuss what is happening on the ground and what local and state leaders can do to prevent more displacement. Residents here own their homes,but not the land underneath them. That leaves families, seniors, workers, and people on fixed incomes vulnerable to steep lot-rent increases and decisions made by out-of-state or corporate ownership interests. Lot rent has increased by roughly 70% over the last nine years, and many residents cannot absorb more increases without cutting essential needs, going further into debt, or losing access to monthly health and safety supports such as Life Alert and other healthcare subscriptions. The harm is not abstract. These are our neighbors. Some residents are already struggling to afford the recent increase, and community members are organizing a rummage sale, bake sale, plant sale, and online auction to help neighbors stay housed and cover urgent needs. The organizing materials explain that about 25% of residents are struggling to afford the increase, and volunteers are seeking donations, auction items,baked goods,plants, and help with setup and outreach. We are deeply concerned that Gary Oakland has sold the park and is attempting to maximize his final month of profit in a way that could displace residents. We are also concerned that the new owners may continue the same pattern unless there is public accountability,policy intervention, and a serious conversation about manufactured-home community protections. This is about more than one rent increase. It is about whether Bozeman and Gallatin County will preserve one of the few remaining forms of naturally occurring affordable housing. When manufactured-home communities are destabilized, residents often cannot simply move their homes. Many cannot afford the cost of relocation, and many have nowhere comparable to go. The result is displacement, debt, loss of community, and a further reduction in affordable housing stock. Montana Mobile Home Communities is working to give mobile-home parks a chance to remain affordable and to help residents secure the rights and protections they deserve. We believe this needs to become a broader local and statewide initiative. Bozeman can be the place where this conversation begins in a serious, organized, and solutions-focused way. We ask you to: 1. Walk King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows Estates with residents and community organizers. 2. Listen directly to affected residents about rent increases, displacement pressure, health impacts, debt, and housing insecurity. 3. Help convene a larger public conversation about manufactured-home community affordability in Bozeman, Gallatin County, and Montana. 4. Explore local tools, state legislative options, resident protections, ownership models, preservation strategies, and accountability measures for large corporate or out-of-state owners. 5. Publicly support efforts to preserve manufactured-home communities as essential affordable housing. We are not asking for charity. We are asking for leadership, accountability, and partnership. Residents have invested in their homes, their neighborhoods, and this community. They deserve a fair chance to remain housed and to help shape the policies that affect their lives. Please meet with us and walk the communities with us. We would welcome the opportunity to coordinate a date and time that works for the City Commission, County Commission, residents, and Montana Mobile Home Communities. Thank you for your time, your service, and your attention to one of the most urgent affordable- housing issues facing our community. Sincerely, Cindy Smith 406.596.4451 cynthia.logan.smith&email.comcom On behalf of residents and supporters of King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows Estates Community contacts: Cindy 406-596-4451 Fern—406-451-2265 Millie 406-425-1708 -� Fr*iends of K *Ing Arthur Park Mounta 'in Meadows states — Sponsored b Montana Mobile Dome Park CommunitiYes — .**z R e, Sak e Bake Sak Plwt Sak On ne Auction We are reachingout to friends of Kin Arthur ' g Park and Mountain Meadows Estates and the • ' • .� re 0 wider Bozeman community for support. • ;• •� • , ' We are gathering volunteers and donated . g g items to help make this fundraiser a success for our neighbors. With your help, we can create something fun, successful, and meaningful for those who need it most. WE NEED YOUR HELPI VOLUNTEERS DONATE HELP COLLECT HELP SETTING UP NEEDED -_ AUCTION ITEMS DONORS - - - We are seeking high-value We need help with: We need enthusiastic items for the online auction. Setupbefore the event We need people who can helpers for planning, reach out to local Most wanted: gift certificates, (Rummage, Bake, Plant Sale) setup, outreach, and themed baskets, services, and Oraniin and sotin businesses, friends, making the event a other special items that may gzg rg and neighbors to collect success! bring a great price, Arranging tables and donations for our Also welcome: experiences, displays - handmade items, and Clean up after the event online auction. quality goods. .4 � r p _ �` N. J# 4 Pro-- FUNDRAISER LOCATION OdiwAaionfl �t ' Q*N 127 Percival, Bozeman, MT 59718 I Great items, big impact— All proceeds will support neighbors _ bid online and help in King Arthur Park and Support our Community! - Mountain Meadows Estates. I For Online Aticti,on- .., CONTACTS Cindy For Rummage Sale, Bake Sale, .ifi, Millie PlantK3 • . 406-596-4451 - 406-451 -2265 406-425-1708 T&u& pa or &W rWWE40191r& and &w c&&%un&*! j 'W