Bozeman commissioners and staff spent an extended work‑session block reviewing options to reduce evictions and to create an assistance program that would pair legal help with earlier eviction‑prevention interventions.

The city is developing a local pilot that municipal leaders described as focused on eviction prevention rather than an unconditional, court‑based right to counsel. Staff said they are studying models used elsewhere and plan further stakeholder outreach, including separate discussions with landlord representatives and tenant groups.

Why it matters: Commissioners said eviction prevention is a high‑priority local policy tied to housing stability, court workload and downstream social‑service costs. Several speakers urged the city to prioritize interventions that produce quick conversations between landlords and tenants before a filing occurs.

What staff described: Staff said a cross‑departmental team is drafting options that seek to 1) get legal assistance into the process earlier, 2) increase mediation and financial assistance options, and 3) reduce filings that proceed to possession. Staff reported recent technical conversations with court and legal stakeholders to better understand where earlier interventions can reduce formal filings.

Funding and near‑term resources: Staff told the commission that the city can use Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) public‑service allocation — roughly 15 percent of the local CDBG allocation — for supportive services. Staff said roughly $50,000 per year is available from that allocation and that, because of a CDBG rollover, the city could use up to $100,000 in the coming fiscal year for prevention services. Commissioners and staff also discussed potential philanthropic and regional funding sources but stressed those are not yet committed.

Stakeholder process and timeline: Commissioners asked staff to convene targeted stakeholder sessions: one focused on landlords, one on tenants and a later facilitated session with mixed representation. Staff proposed a public update in the fall and said they are aiming to return to the commission in October with proposed program parameters and implementation options so the commission can consider formal direction ahead of the next budget cycle.

Constraints noted: Staff and commissioners emphasized limits set by state law and court procedures; several commissioners said structural change at the state level would be required to change short statutory deadlines and other procedural constraints. Staff emphasized the pilot is being scoped to operate within current state statute while seeking to reduce filings through mediation, rental assistance and early legal advice.

Next steps: Staff will continue stakeholder outreach, refine program options, identify legal and operational requirements, and present recommended parameters to the commission in the October–November window. The commission asked staff to give commissioners suggested stakeholder names to populate an ad‑hoc advisory group.