Letters to the editor: Housing vouchers, ESG investing, ITD land

Housing vouchers

I am writing with concern as to the disabled and elderly individuals I see on a day-to-day basis working as an eviction defense attorney through a grant provided by the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

As housing prices increase across Idaho, I hear tragic stories almost on a daily basis of seniors and disabled individuals who because of their limited incomes are being displaced from housing. Most individuals have little or no support outside of their fixed income provided as part of their disability or retirement. Faced with lack of affordable housing (being that most wait lists are approximately three years), Idahoans who have lived most if not all of their lives in Idaho are being forced to leave. Think about living your entire life here and then being forced to leave as Idaho becomes a more and more popular place to live.

One solution to this ongoing tragedy would be state-funded housing vouchers covering rent after one-third of a person’s income. The Legislature could also make it illegal to turn down these vouchers. This program could help those individuals least able to cope with our housing crisis. The disabled and elderly range in political views. I am not writing for one political ideology over the next. I am simply stating that we need to work to solve these issues affecting the most vulnerable during this time. This would be a humane solution to a real problem that has drastic effects on our community.

Brian Stephens, Boise

ESG investing

As a conservative investor, I appreciate the furthering of ESG disclosures. I rely on available disclosures to make my investing decisions. We have entered unknown territory when it comes to the cost of climate change. Extreme weather events — fires, hurricanes and tornadoes are costing our communities billions of dollars each year. It makes perfect sense for companies to assess this unknown risk and plan for how to deal with it when it occurs.

There are plenty of examples of companies that refused to publicly acknowledge that their practices and products had risks associated with them. The tobacco, health care and chemical industries are riddled with these companies. Think about a utility company like Pacific Gas and Electric that has had to completely restructure and redo the way it does business because the risks were irrefutable and ignored and became reality. The loss of life, housing and normalcy is incredibly disruptive when these events occur.

Assessing risk and planning for it, whether it is environmental, social or governance is a reasonable and responsible practice that helps all of us, not just investors.

Erin Logan, Boise

ITD land

Boise and Idaho have a wonderful opportunity to help people and show the world that we mean what we say that we help people.

With the Idaho Transportation Department closing its operations on State Street, Boise city should take it over. Instead of Interfaith Sanctuary having to buy and remodel its place on State Street, they could put the money into overhauling the building ITD is leaving.

With this much room, we could help the 200-plus people needing help. With room for a clinic, it would lessen the need for ER visits and give people an address.

With the 45 acres of land, people would not need to crowd into the limited lot they now have. There would be the possibility to put in some small housing to do “housing first” to save more money and people.

If we let developers have the place, you will only get a new strip mall and people stacked into more apartments.

Paul Markowitz, Boise

Education funding

“Idaho leads the country in economic prosperity” and ranks dead last in educational K-12 spending; Idaho schools receive the least funding of all states. Gov. Little’s arrogant boast about prosperity accompanied every tax “refund” that Idahoans recently received in the mail. In his appalling statement to mislead voters, he doesn’t mention our unconscionable ranking — 50th in the nation! Don’t be fooled. He created a surplus on the backs of our children. He goes on to say, “These tax cuts boost the prosperity of Idahoans.” Let’s ask our schoolchildren how prosperous they feel in about 10 years!

Gov. Little, you can keep your silly tax refund! Ours went to our grandchildren’s school library, where the money should have gone in the first place. Your embarrassing “rob Peter to pay Paul” vote-seeking tactics are not fooling all of us!

Julie Davis, Boise

This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 10:03 AM.