Letter to the Editor

The housing crisis is a national problem, but it hits areas like Missoula and Bozeman especially hard. Rent is constantly increasing while wages remain low. Minimum wage in Montana is still only $8.25, while the average monthly rent is nearly $1,000. Renters, often college students with tight schedules, are forced to spend the majority of their income on housing. Gas, food, utilities and other expenses become a second priority as housing prices rise through the roof. The stereotype of college students living on ramen is no joke; one surveyed student reported living on a bowl of ramen a day to afford rent. Without the help of parents, scholarships and other external sources of income, college students are likely to be overworked, underpaid and exploited by property management companies. This disconnect also forces locals out of their homes as landlords favor out of state residents from areas with higher wages.

We need not just more housing, but more affordable housing and rental units with reasonable regulation. Raising wages to align with housing prices will also lower the number of local Montanans driven out of their homes and students unable to pay rent. Lastly, regulating application fees for renters will make it easier for renters to find a place. Montana students are a vulnerable population that need to be protected. To help Montana universities gauge students’ living situations, fill out a renter a survey at https://www.mtpirg.org/renter-survey. 

Sylvie Heriza is a MontPIRG intern and a political science major at the University of Montana.

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