Urban Camping and Homelessness in the Gallatin Valley: A Brief History, Stories from the Field and Strategies for the Future

Homelessness increased in the Gallatin Valley during the pandemic, rising 35% in Bozeman from 2019 to 2021, according to the Montana Free Press. This caused hardship for community members and led to urban camping, in which residents live in a makeshift shelter in an urban environment. At the forum, Heather Grenier, chief executive officer of the HRDC, will discuss policies, programs and partnerships that help address homelessness and create hope for the future. Chief civil attorney Anna Saverud and Ben Bailey, neighborhood services and code compliance program manager, will join the discussion and represent the City of Bozeman at the event.

You can easily register using our registration system if you are a current OLLI member. Participants must register no later than 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 12. If you are not an OLLI member, do not wish to use the OLLI registration system, or wish to register after registrations close, click or tap here to register directly through Zoom. Upon registration confirmation, participants will receive an email with the Zoom link and instructions to join the program.

Friday Forum offers presentations and lively discussions on local and regional timely topics. Friday Forum is free and open to the public.