Boise mayor highlights these steps being taken by city to increase affordable housing 

As our community experiences record-breaking growth, and rapid increases in the cost of housing, we’re all concerned.

The challenge for our community right now, in this moment, is to ensure we take the steps needed to protect what we love about Boise and to try everything possible to increase the number of homes available, at price points Boiseans can afford. The challenge is daunting, to be sure.

But we are up to the task.

Earlier this year, a resident in northwest Boise shared with me that his adult kids had “boomeranged” — living with him and his wife again because of the rising cost of living. While he loved having them around, and as a property owner, he knows the rising value of his own home could benefit him, he couldn’t convert that rise in equity into an affordable place for his children to begin their lives independently. They were working, yet unable to find a place they could afford.

People throughout our city are experiencing the same, as our region experiences record growth and rising prices. Our challenge is to ensure that we take the steps we must take to protect the neighborhoods we love and ensure that there are homes available at Boise budgets.

Because strong neighborhoods need housing at every price point, we must tackle this issue neighborhood by neighborhood, home by home.

That’s why we’re innovating, passing policies, trying new ideas and seeking solutions to get affordable homes into the market as quickly as possible.

There’s no one-size-fits-all approach, and we can’t wait for the market to produce what Boiseans needs but rather must tackle this issue home by home, measuring the progress we’re making and making changes to policies to get what Boiseans need.

Just a few weeks ago, a developer who had approval to build offices near the mall returned to the City Council asking permission to add housing that is affordable for working Boiseans to his project. After we passed a new policy — the Housing Bonus Ordinance — it made sense to add housing into his office development — for him, and for all of us.

This is a new tool in our toolbox being used for the first time, and workforce housing will soon be available in a location with great access to jobs. Other proposed projects downtown and in various parts of our city are including affordable homes as well, because of this new policy.

Home by home, we’re adding units at Boise budgets.

We also set out to fully implement a Housing Land Trust strategy, banking land that we’ll make available to folks willing to build homes at set price points, helping us to reach our goals of affordable housing.

Lately, every developer I’ve talked to has said the cost of land is the highest barrier to building housing at various target price points.

In light of this fast-paced market, we’ve decided our best strategy is to put city land into the trust.

Land that’s better used for homes should be available for affordable homes, rather than city trucks, tools and maintenance facilities. So we’ve prioritized land that’s ideal for housing, and we’re moving city facilities — opening land that we can award to the folks who propose the best project for the area, with the needed levels of affordability. And we’re making this land available as soon as possible, for homes that Boiseans can afford.

In April, building permits were up 40%, and residential permits up 60%. We’ll see nearly 1,600 units added downtown by the end of the year. Since March, nearly 1,500 units have been approved citywide.

We also know that to catch up — and then to get ahead — there’s much more to be done.

We’re building our housing team with experts to focus on solutions. We’re gathering new data on housing needs so that our policies can be laser-focused on the solutions we need at the moment in time. We’re making sure we have room for more homes in our city by addressing our zoning code and speeding up the process when projects provide what our community needs most: housing at Boise budgets.

What’s next? We’re looking ahead to policies that could streamline tiny homes behind existing homes (accessory dwelling units); seeking innovative use of federal rescue plan funds to invest in our housing future; calling on partners to build out our housing land trust; looking for ways to increase the number of homes available at various price points through incentives; positioning us to flexibly respond when market opportunities do arise; and looking to invest in housing to support those making less than 60% of our average median income.

We have the opportunity to tackle this challenge, together. Through the process we’ll strengthen our community by focusing our solutions on people and neighborhood-centered design. It’ll take all hands on deck, a willingness to innovate and experiment with solutions, investments we’re committed to make and partners to help make it happen.

We need each of you — our community, Boise — to respond to this challenge in any way that you can. Do you have an idea or a potential solution? Please share it.

In this moment, we’ve got to explore every option, try new things, and ensure — home by home — that we leave no opportunity missed. Together.