Bozeman Is Struggling To House Its Teachers
People living in Montana have gotten used to three types of housing-related local news that we see EVERY DAY: another high-end residential development, another million-dollar listing, and new residents relocating to the state.
It has gotten to the point that people are just tired of seeing it. It's almost like many Montanans just feel defeated.
When Teachers Can't Afford To Live Here
According to KBZK, the Bozeman School District is calling on the community of Bozeman to address the housing issues faced by its school employees. Skyrocketing living costs have long been completely disconnected from the salary levels of local school staff, and this pay gap has been preventing the district from recruiting and retaining high-quality teachers. That is a HUGE problem.
And it is not just Bozeman; the entire state of Montana is struggling with housing affordability.
Employers across the state, ranging from places like Town Pump to local hospitals, are all testing ways to fill the housing gap. Right now, teachers are the group held back by this housing shortage, but before long, nurses, firefighters, HVAC Techs, and all the other basic public service workers that keep local daily operations running could face the exact same problem.
(I can just imagine how my fellow broadcasters are feeling these days. We sure didn't get into this business to get rich.)
If one of Montana's largest school districts is actively looking for housing solutions just to keep teachers around, it raises a bigger question.
How many other communities are headed down the exact same road?
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Gallery Credit: Stacker