Want to help prevent homelessness in Idaho? Here’s what you can do about it | Opinion

Was there a time when homelessness wasn’t such a crisis for the United States, when over a million people lived on the streets or shelter?

The problem didn’t used to be so bad, worsening in the 1980s when the federal government made deep cuts to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Since then, and as the wage-to-living expense gap has widened, more and more low-income people struggle to afford housing in our country.

Communities and states recently had a unique opportunity to tackle housing insecurity head-on for the first time in decades. During the pandemic, the federal government made unprecedented investments in housing support. Just one example of this is the $46 billion Emergency Rental Assistance Program, of which Idaho received over $300 million.

This program was the deepest investment the federal government has made in renters since the nation launched its public housing system. ERAP funds kept many people housed and gave low-income renters an opportunity to improve their financial bearings when in a temporary bind.

At the same time, governments have been able to use other COVID funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to create housing. Idaho used $50 million in ARPA funding to support the development of 1,000 units for working Idahoans who cannot afford a market-rate rental.

Now, many of these investments are timing out, and evictions are already on the rise. The federal government is calling on local and state governments to continue housing investments as they’re able.

A report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition showed that nearly half of jurisdictions in the U.S. will continue the ERAP program in some capacity, while even more will sustain investments in creating housing for working families.

So far in Idaho, the question remains as to whether more funding will be used to alleviate the strain of the immediate housing crisis, while also looking ahead to opportunities to create more affordability. The city of Boise is putting some funding towards the creation of housing, while the city of Meridian put $250,000 to keeping Meridians housed during an eviction. Other localities, including the state, have yet to step up.

The state and local governments in Idaho should take a hard look at the need for these investments, and at their budgets, to see where programming can be continued. Housing affordability — and homelessness as a result — continues to be a huge issue across the nation. However, in our state, it’s not too late to stay ahead of the crisis levels of homelessness. It is much more cost-effective and humane to provide affordable housing and keep people in their homes, than to try to address homelessness after the fact.

At the same time, people in Idaho must continue to take action. Many Idahoans, corporations, and foundations donate to grassroots organizations doing the work to provide rent assistance and support to our most vulnerable residents, such as Jesse Tree and CATCH in the Treasure Valley.

There is much power in private-public partnerships as well: Recently, local governments alongside institutional and individual funders helped provide $5.6 million to the Campaign to End Family Homelessness being run by these agencies.

Although we can hope and advocate for additional governmental investments to keep Idahoans housed, the private sector and individuals must continue to step up, too. Idaho is a wonderful place to live, but in order to keep it that way, we all must invest in it. Housing nonprofits will be on the frontlines of this funding fiscal cliff, and are a great place to start.