BOZEMAN, Mont. — Some residents at Stadium View apartments in Bozeman recently received an email giving them three days to pack up their belongings and move out after certain rooms were considered structurally unsafe.
For residents already facing a stressful situation, some say management provided little assistance with the sudden move.
WATCH STORY HERE:
“Once the dust settles, I’ll be very glad to be out of Stadium View,” Montana State University junior Buggy Garza said.
Garza had been saving money by living in the dorms before deciding to move off campus this semester.
“I finally decided to take the step with some friends of mine. We moved to Stadium View,” Garza said.
At the time, Garza said Stadium View seemed like a good option for students paying for housing out of pocket.
“I was hoping that this would be an option that is affordable for us,” Garza said.
But less than two months into her time living off campus, Garza received an email notifying her that her lease was being terminated.
“4:30 p.m., after I finished taking a test that I already didn’t feel very good about. And I walk out just to see on my phone: ‘Urgent: Lease Termination.’ Not a great feeling on a Friday evening,” Garza said.
Garza was the only one of her four roommates forced to pack up her room because only certain rooms were considered structurally unsafe. She said she was given three days to move out.
When asked whether Stadium View provided assistance with the move, Garza said the help was limited.
“The most that they gave us was a list of places that they apparently called ahead of time that offer immediate move-in,” Garza said.
Receiving the email at 4:30 p.m. on a Friday also made it difficult to contact leasing offices. Garza was left sleeping on a couch, with a sign posted on the door of her former room that reads: "Do Not Enter. This structure is unsafe..."
Instead of panicking, she remembered a resource available on campus.
“I immediately went to Off-Campus Student Life. They had a spot for me right away,” Garza said.
Garza is not the only student who has recently turned to the office for assistance.
“A couple dozen is the number I can give you,” program manager Rebecca Eberlin said when asked how many students had come to the office with issues involving Stadium View.
Eberlin works directly with students through MSU’s Off-Campus Student Life office, which was established in 2024.
“Anything that involves moving off campus after your freshman year, we are here to try and support students with,” Eberlin said.
For students at Stadium View who suddenly find themselves needing assistance, Eberlin said the office can connect them with several resources.
“We have a really great program called the Student Emergency Fund, which can offer short-term funding to students who need it,” Eberlin said.
The Off-Campus Student Life office has also been working to connect students with HRDC and Family Promise for other affordable housing options.
For students considering legal action, another resource is available.
“We also have a program called ASMSU Legal Services, which offers totally free legal services,” Eberlin said.
Former Stadium View residents such as Garza are considering that option.
For now, Garza has signed a lease with Peaks at Ellis View. She credited the Off-Campus Student Life office with helping her navigate the sudden move and find somewhere new to live.
“They’ve been endlessly helpful in figuring out housing. Just so helpful over these last few days, helping me move forward with finding somewhere new to live amidst all the chaos,” Garza said.
