Public Housing. Would Bozeman Benefit? Would It Help The City?

Here is a question for you to ponder as you go through your day.  Would the city of Bozeman benefit from building Public Housing to help with the high cost of living and housing shortage?

I realize that for many that will be a huge NO, however, is it worth talking about?

Many Bozemanites find themselves in a situation that simply doesn't benefit them.  They are barely getting by and for those living in apartments, they live in fear of how much rent will go up once their current lease is up.  I know of one couple that just got a notice that their rent would go up 200 dollars a month at the end of their lease.

For most Bozemanites, 200 dollars extra a month is a big deal.

So, for many wouldn't Public Housing be a lifesaver?  I bring this up because I was having a conversation a week or two ago with someone that lives here in Bozeman and suggested that maybe Public Housing would be the way to go.

I realize that Public Housing often gets a bad rap, especially in bigger cities.  For many, there is a belief that Public Housing brings higher crime rates.  However, isn't Bozeman different?  I mean, if there is a "bad side" of town, I haven't found it yet. It seems that if done right, this could actually be an affordable alternative for folks that are struggling to make ends meet.

What if the homes built were stylish and fit in with the surrounding landscape? There are a ton of folks that could benefit from such a project. Young families attending MSU, folks working in the service industry, older individuals living on a fixed income.

Once again, I'm not sure if it's the answer to solve the issues that we as a city face, but it seems like it's worth exploring, especially if it means that people from Bozeman can remain here in Bozeman.

So, what do you say we put it to a vote?  Vote in the poll below and let's see what the folks of Bozeman think about the idea.