Bozeman Magazine

The  Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Montana State University will host a virtual Friday Forum on Friday, Dec. 12, discussing homelessness in the Gallatin Valley and strategies to address the complex issue. “Urban Camping and Homelessness in the Gallatin Valley: A Brief History, Stories from the Field and Strategies for the Future” will be held from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Zoom. It is free and open to the public. 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. Participants must register for the forum by 11 a.m. Dec. 12. For more details and to register, visit  www.montana.edu/olli/offerings  or call 406-994-6646. An email from Zoom with a link and login instructions will be sent to participants before the event.  Friday Forums, organized by OLLI at MSU, are held on the second Friday of each month from September to May. OLLI at MSU is a program of Academic Technology and Outreach,