BOISE, Idaho — There's one thing everyone in the Treasure Valley can agree on: Our communities continue to see high demand for affordable housing in our growing Idaho.
The City of Boise and Ada County are partnering to help address the housing problem by putting close to $10 million toward affordable housing in the City of Trees.
Even with rents showing a decrease over the past several months, Nicki Hellencamp, the mayor's housing advisor, said that housing affordability has become an increasingly important issue for residents.
"For people to be able to stay in their homes, to stay in the city, in the county, in the state - it's something that we really need to address collectively," Hellencamp said.
Progress comes through partnership.
The new affordable housing development will be funded by a $5 million pledge from the City of Boise and a $4.5 million grant from Ada County. Money for the project stems from the federal government's Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
"Both the city and the county believe that people who live here deserve safe, healthy and affordable homes," Hellencamp said.
The affordable housing development will be located off Fairview, at McKinney and Eldorado Streets. The project is expected to have about 250 apartments, and 200 of those units will be designated for families making 60% of the area's median income or less.
"We want people that are school teachers and firemen and so forth - we want them to be able to have a place to live," said Rod Beck, Ada County commission chairman. "Some of this money is going to be targeted to 60% of area median income, some of it is going to be targeted to 50% of area median income, and then some of it will be market rate. So it will be a mix of all kinds of income levels living in this apartment."
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