Bozeman Mobile Home Residents Launch First Rent Strike in 50 Years Over $100 Hike
Updated
Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 18
Bozeman Mobile Home Residents Launch First Rent Strike in 50 Years Over $100 Hike
3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jul 18
Summary
Two Bozeman mobile home parks unionized in May and launched what organizers call Montana’s first rent strike in 50 years after an almost $100 increase in monthly lot rent.
Residents say the hike hit people with few alternatives because many own trailers they cannot realistically move, leaving their homes—and often their only equity—tied to the parks.
The dispute reflects Bozeman’s broader housing squeeze: the city’s population has grown about 20% since the pandemic, home values jumped 40% in two years, and one-bedroom rents often top $2,000 a month.
That affordability crisis has sharpened tensions between locals and wealthy newcomers, helping fuel a tenant movement and the rise of younger housing-focused politicians including Mayor Joey Morrison and state lawmaker Katie Fire Thunder.
Even after some tenants accepted new management terms following the park’s sale to a California-run operator, others say the fight continues as Bozeman’s working class struggles to remain in the city.
As Montana deregulates to build more homes, will its working class be saved by the boom or priced out forever?
Can a town fueled by a TV fantasy solve its real-world housing crisis before it's too late?
2026 Bozeman Mobile Home Rent Strike: 61% of Residents Unite Against Private Equity Rent Hikes and Neglect
Overview
The ongoing rent strike at King Arthur Park and Mountain Meadows Estates in Bozeman, as of mid-May 2026, highlights a tense standoff between residents and park owners. While tenant leader Benjamin Finegan claims the strike caused a significant $50,000 loss in rent revenue for May, former owner Gary Oakland disputes this, insisting collections remained steady and dismissing tenant complaints about poor utilities. Residents are increasingly anxious about the new, less transparent ownership, fearing further instability and changes. This conflict underscores the broader struggle for tenant rights and affordable housing, as residents unite to challenge rising rents and neglected conditions.