Growth + Affordability
Biden administration extends federal eviction moratorium for one final month
WASHINGTON — The Biden administration on Thursday extended a national moratorium on evictions for another month, offering what federal officials say will be a final respite while they scramble to beef up other help for renters that could mitigate a wave of evictions once the legal protection does expire. The added month of eviction relief comes […]
‘It’s a challenge’: Short-term rental issues plague a small Idaho town near Yellowstone
Idaho’s picturesque views and endless supply of outdoor recreational opportunities have always attracted visitors — tourists and new residents alike. But the dynamic changed in the past decade, with the rise of third-party rental websites like Airbnb, VRBO and Vacasa. These short-term rentals and vacation homes opened up lodging to more visitors in some corners […]
As cities, counties change zoning codes, let’s consider how ‘lovably nonconforming’ housing may help
I have a special place in my heart for a type of buildings that might best be called, “Lovably Nonconforming.” These are buildings that wonderfully add to the fabric of our neighborhoods — and likely could not be built under today’s zoning codes. When we talk about how to preserve neighborhood character and create amazing […]
We don’t review tax exemptions in Idaho. Could models in neighboring states work here?
Editor’s note: This is Part II of an ongoing series examining the various aspects of Idaho’s tax exemptions and lack of a legislative review process. Part I can be found here. With the exception of Nevada and Wyoming, Idaho is surrounded by states with varying degrees of a state-level review process for tax exemptions and […]
Mayors of U.S. cities plead for federal funds to alleviate housing crisis
WASHINGTON — The mayors of cities in Ohio, Montana and Arizona stressed the need for affordable housing to be included in any congressional infrastructure package during a Tuesday hearing before the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing & Urban Affairs Committee. Mayors Daniel Horrigan of Akron, Ohio, Cyndy Andrus of Bozeman, Mont., and Corey Woods of Tempe, […]
Labor Secretary says Biden’s child care plan will help Idaho economy
Idaho is at a turning point. The pandemic brought to a head the state’s child care crisis. U.S. Department of Labor Secretary Marty Walsh told the Idaho Capital Sun last week that President Joe Biden has a plan to help — spending $225 billion to restabilize child care in the U.S., as part of a […]
Idaho’s urban areas are booming. One city’s population grew 7.5% last year.
About 10% more of Idaho’s residents live in the state’s urban areas than they did in 1980, according to the Idaho Department of Labor, and that trend of population growth is continuing. The state had the fastest growing population in the nation at 2.1% between 2019 and 2020, with much of that growth concentrated in […]
There’s a cement shortage, too? Yes. And it halted road repairs in northern Idaho.
Repairs to a section of Idaho Highway 13 near Grangeville have stalled because of a cement shortage related to a Canadian plant outage and weather, Idaho Transportation Department officials said. The road work near Harpster Grade began in May. Repairs involve pulling up the asphalt surface of six miles of Highway 13, mixing it with […]
‘A great move forward’: New transportation funds support Idaho Highway 16 extension project
From the time he chaired then-Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter’s transportation task force in 2010, Gov. Brad Little has known Idaho is short hundreds of millions of dollars in transportation funding on an annual basis. That’s part of why this legislative session, he championed a funding package that included a one-time $126 million infusion from surplus […]
The cost to deliver a baby in Boise? 10 times more than 100 years ago
Margaret Ertter gave birth to her daughter, Mary, in March 1922. The bill was $92. Ertter delivered twin boys four years later. They were born prematurely, and only one baby survived. The bill for Ertter’s 14-day hospital stay and medical care for her preemie newborns? $154.50. Ertter’s granddaughters in Boise discovered the documents this year: […]
Idaho’s circuit breaker changes will disproportionately affect low-income seniors
The average median income of an individual using Idaho’s circuit breaker program for property tax exemption was $17,635 in 2019, according to data from the Idaho State Tax Commission. Of the 26,916 Idahoans who filed claims through the program in 2020, 85% were over the age of 65. And under new property tax law passed […]
As affordability crisis worsens, let’s make sure women are included in housing solutions
The choice of staying in a home that isn’t safe or braving the streets is one that no one should have to make, but it is one that women in our community face daily. This is one reason I believe that we need to encourage the diversity of housing and increase the number of homes […]