BOZEMAN — Bozeman Tenants United held a rally on Monday night where they say after a disappointing end to a legislative session where they hoped to get more housing reform, their focus now shifts heavily on the city of Bozeman, where they expect city leaders to enact reform.
“We're building tenant power here. We're pushing the commissioners to ban second homes, short-term rentals, and we actually can win it. And this is the first step,” says Emily Lashelle, leader at Bozeman Tenants United.
State Representatives Alice Buckley and Zooey Zephyr from Bozeman and Missoula were on hand sharing their frustrations with the lack of rental policy from the 68th Session, but the excitement change that’s being pushed for at the local level across the state.
‘We protected landlords in many different ways. What we did not do is pass a single piece of legislation that benefited renters,” said Representative Buckley.
“You know, we have tenants' unions in this state. We have some in Bozeman, we have some new in Missoula, and others across the state,” said Representative Zephyr.
For months, the Bozeman Tenants Union has been pushing the City of Bozeman for housing reform. They say they were hopeful for something to come out of Helena but after a disappointing session, their focus is back heavily at city hall.
“Our community union, we really believe that many more people are concerned about affordable housing. In Bozeman, in Missoula, and rural communities,” says Bill Goold, organizer at Bozeman Tenants Union.
The City of Bozeman has held one study session on short-term rentals. The tenants union had asked the city commission to hold one before May, but commissioners preferred to wait until after the 68th session.
“People sometimes want things done immediately. I would like that too. But there is a process and we try really hard to make sure that we're being responsive to asks and needs of people who live in Bozeman, and also following some of things that we just have to do procedurally," says Bozeman City Commissioner Christopher Coburn.
The city commissioners say they did commit to holding more sessions regarding the issue this summer, but the group had some frustrations about the date not being soon enough.
“Take up space and public comment and holding bigger and more public events to get more of the public who's on our side to continue putting the pressure on them,” says Lashelle.
The city says that they will have a work session regarding short-term rentals sometime in August.
