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More than two dozen members of a tenant's union in Bozeman are threatening a rent strike if their landlord doesn't address maintenance and other safety issues at their apartment complex.

Supporters say these concerns are especially critical for renters struggling to pay their bills.

Residents of the Bridger Heights apartments say their landlord is ignoring complaints over untreated black mold, radon, plumbing issues, and what they term "unreasonable" apartment inspections.

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Montana Fair Housing Executive Director Pam Bean said low-income tenants who have access to income-based housing, like Bridger Heights, are often people of color.

"Are people with disabilities," said Bean. "Are the elderly. Are often single parents, particularly single moms."

Bean said if the residents of Bridger Heights and other income-based housing are treated differently than renters in other places, that could violate non-discrimination laws and/or the Montana Landlord-Tenant Act.

The Bridger Heights landlord, a building owned by the real estate investment firm 11 Capital, has called the tenants' complaints "stupid.:" 11 Capital did not respond to a request for comment.

The tenants union wants a payout of $5,000 dollars, or 50 percent of the total rent paid to 11 Capital for each renter to settle their dispute.

Bean said housing that isn't maintained, or is unsafe or uninhabitable, limits availability in a state that already has far too little affordable housing.

"We have to address affordable housing that is really affordable," said Bean. "Affordable by very low-income standards and by up to middle-income standards. We would not being seeing this increased participation if the conditions weren't getting worse and worse."

11 Capital operates the largely government-funded, Section 8 housing complex in Bozeman. It includes about 50 units that rent for below-market value.