Bozeman Tenants United
Bozeman Tenants United is a tenant's union based in Bozeman, Montana. According to the Tenant Union Federation, which Bozeman Tenants United cofounded, the union has over 200 members and 130 pay union dues.[1] Its founders are organizers who were involved in Bozeman United for Racial Justice.[2]
| Founded | October, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Bozeman, Montana |
| Location |
|
Key people | Patrick Finegan and Joey Morrison (co-founders)[3] |
| Website | bzntenantsunited |
History
[edit]Advocacy
[edit]Union members pressured Bozeman City Council to ban short-term rentals to increase housing supply in June 2023.[4] The city passed strict regulations on short-term rentals that are not owner-occupied but did not pass a full ban.[5]
In June 2024, Bozeman Tenants United and Deputy Mayor Joey Morrison[6] launched a campaign for Bozeman's city council to establish a tenant's right to counsel (TRTC) and allocate $670,000 to the program. Organizers argue tenants being unable to afford lawyers leads to higher eviction rates and more homelessness, describing TRTC as "getting to the root cause rather than applying band-aids."[7]
Electoral politics
[edit]On November 7, 2023, Bozeman Tenants United cofounder Joey Morrison won the Bozeman mayoral race.[8] Due to the city's electoral system, Morrison will serve as deputy mayor for two years, beginning in 2024, and then become mayor for the rest of his term.[9] Morrison ran on fully banning short-term rentals and establishing community land trusts as a means of addressing housing shortages.[8]
Founding of Tenant Union Federation
[edit]In August 2024, KC Tenants, Connecticut Tenant Union, Louisville Tenant Union, Bozeman Tenants United, and Not Me We founded the Tenant Union Federation.[10][11] The federation describes its goals as: "use the collective power of its locals to negotiate better living conditions for renters, slow the commodification of housing, help establish alternatives to the predominant market-based solution to housing, guarantee housing as a public utility, and create economic and political power for its renters."[12] The federation's first campaign hopes to cap rent on housing managed by the federal government.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Tenant Union Federation". tenantfederation.org. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ Shelly, Nora (2022-11-12). "Bozeman activists forming tenants union". Bozeman Daily Chronicle. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ News, Susan Shain, High Country (2023-11-23). "Has Montana really solved its housing crisis?". Montana Free Press. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
{{cite web}}:|last=has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Strother, Ryan (2023-06-08). "Tenants group calls on Bozeman to ban many short-term rentals". Montana Free Press. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ Standal, Matt (2023-10-18). "Bozeman votes to ban some short-term rentals, 'grandfathers' others". Montana Free Press. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ "Bozeman group launches campaign to create fund for tenants right to counsel at city level". KBZK News. 2024-06-10. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ Carroll, Bryanna (2024-06-17). "Bozeman tenant union works to establish right to counsel". KECI. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ a b "Terry Cunningham set to be sworn in as Bozeman's next mayor, Joey Morrison to become deputy mayor". KBZK News. 2024-01-09. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ Journalist, Alex McCollum NonStop Local Multimedia (2023-07-06). "Meet the Candidates: who's running for Bozeman mayor?". NonStop Local Montana. Retrieved 2024-10-03.
- ^ Hood, Nydja (2024-08-08). "KC Tenants join movement to organize nationally, fight against rising rent rates". KCTV. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ Perez, Zach (2024-08-08). "Building on success in Kansas City, KC Tenants helps form first-ever national tenant federation". KCUR. Retrieved 2024-08-09.
- ^ "About". Tenant Union Federation website. Retrieved 2024-08-09.