KOOTENAI COUNTY, Idaho — As housing prices soar in North Idaho, there is a new proposal to increase affordable housing in Kootenai County through home sharing, and officials are asking for your input.
The Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance reported that 70% of the population in 2020 could afford homes in the area. In 2024, their research shows that the number has flipped. Only 20% of people can afford to buy a home.
The groups most affected are students, recent graduates, healthcare, construction workers and even families.
The Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance said that the decrease in affordable housing has been a growing issue since 2008. The problem has been exacerbated by the impacts of COVID-19 and the overall growth in the state.
This is why the Housing Solutions Partnership wants to do a second launch of its HomeShare program, which first started in 2022.
The program aims to have empty nesters, snowbirds or anyone with spare bedrooms or living space to house those who need a place to stay.
"Since 2022, we found just conversationally that there were barriers that folks were running into that didn't allow them to want them to share their home," Kiki Miller, founder of the Housing Solutions Partnership and Coeur d'Alene City Councilmember, said.
Program leaders like Miller want to know if they provide incentives and funding for homeowners to remodel their homes to make space for an additional person or family if it might increase participation.
"And sometimes they are very small... they have a great basement that has a separate bedroom and bathroom, but it doesn't have an egress window," Miller said. "So, it brings the space up to code that allows it to be more convenient for the family that lives there, and it's in compliance for the person that moves in."
Currently, the program has about 50 active matches with an additional 20 homeowners ready to find a home. Organizers want to expand in 2025.
Depending on the type of living space, the price is flexible to make it worthwhile for both the homeowner and the tenant.
"So, if it's a room, then we cap it at $800 a month, which really supports a home provider," Duncan Menzies, program director at HomeShare, said. "They are paying $800 less a month."
The survey from Housing Solutions Partnership will remain open through the weekend. The input will tell officials if a program like this has the community's interest to go forward with the project.