Senator Mike Crapo’s office released results Thursday from a statewide housing survey conducted in 2025, drawing more than 5,000 responses from Idahoans and painting a detailed picture of affordability pressures facing both renters and homeowners across the state.

Who Responded and What They Said

The survey’s largest share of respondents fell in the 65-and-older age group, though concerns varied considerably by housing status. Renters pointed to upfront costs as an immediate barrier — nearly 90 percent reported high moving expenses, and 64 percent flagged steep application fees as a problem. Homeowners, by contrast, focused on ongoing costs: 45 percent said rising property taxes were straining their monthly budgets, with insurance costs also drawing frequent concern.

The income data underscored the depth of the affordability squeeze. Among renters bringing in less than $4,000 per month, nearly 80 percent were spending more than 30 percent of their income on housing — a standard benchmark for cost burden. Even among those earning between $4,000 and $7,000 monthly, 60 percent crossed that threshold. Just 5 percent of respondents reported receiving federal housing assistance.

Crapo said the response will inform future policy work. “The input we received from Idahoans shapes ongoing solutions to address housing challenges facing the state and country,” he said.

Section 8 Tensions and Local Preemption

The survey also surfaced friction over federal housing vouchers. One respondent described a recurring experience when searching for rental listings: “‘We don’t accept Section 8’ is the first thing I hear when I call about a listing.”

That concern has played out in Idaho’s legislature as well. Boise enacted a package of tenant protections in 2023, including a $30 cap on rental application fees and an ordinance barring landlords from turning away renters based on their source of income — a measure aimed at protecting Section 8 voucher holders. The Idaho Legislature moved in the opposite direction in 2024, passing a bill that stripped cities of the authority to regulate application fees or require landlords to accept housing vouchers, effectively nullifying Boise’s ordinances.

An effort to restore some of those protections fell short during the 2025 legislative session. State Senator Ali Rabe introduced a bill that would have limited rental application practices; it cleared the Senate but was never taken up by the House Business Committee, dying without a hearing.

Regional Preferences for Housing Types

Beyond cost, the survey captured distinct housing preferences by region. Respondents in North Idaho expressed interest in accessory dwelling units and deed-restricted communities. Those in north-central Idaho favored smaller homes on smaller lots. In south-central Idaho, multi-family options ranked high. East Idaho respondents prioritized affordable starter homes and options for seniors looking to downsize. In the Treasure Valley and southwest Idaho, support for higher-density development, including taller apartment buildings, came through clearly.

Across all regions, there was consistent appetite for more diverse housing types — townhouses, duplexes, small homes, and cooperative arrangements — suggesting that single-family zoning dominance remains a barrier in many communities.

What Comes Next

Crapo’s office has not yet announced specific legislation tied to the survey findings, though the senator indicated the results are intended to guide policy development at both the state and federal level. Housing affordability has become a recurring theme in Idaho politics as population growth over the past several years has strained supply in the Treasure Valley and other fast-growing areas.

The state legislature’s preemption of local housing regulations remains a point of tension between municipalities and the Statehouse. Whether the 2026 legislative session revisits any of the issues surfaced in the survey — including tenant protections, zoning flexibility, or housing supply incentives — remains to be seen. Idaho’s congressional delegation has separately pursued federal investments in the state; Rep. Mike Simpson recently secured $5 million for Idaho potato research and advanced $8.5 million for a Boise-area bird of prey conservation center through House appropriations bills, illustrating the range of federal resources the delegation is working to direct toward Idaho priorities.