Safe and affordable housing is out of reach for too many Idaho families, and we all pay the price when rents are too high.

IDAHO – U.S. Sen. Mike Crapo, R-Idaho, is working to alleviate these housing challenges through the introduction of the Renewing Opportunity in the American Dream (ROAD) to Housing Act. This bipartisan package includes long-term policy solutions that are needed to address our state’s housing challenges – including more than 40 provisions aimed at cutting red tape to access federal housing assistance, building more homes, and updating outdated programs.

Rents are unaffordable for the average Idaho renter. According to the National Low Income Housing Coalition’s 2025 Out of Reach Report, an Idaho renter needs to earn nearly $28 an hour to afford a modest two-bedroom apartment, and renters living in the Boise area must earn $35 an hour. However, the average Idaho renter only earns $19 an hour – indicating a significant gap between Idaho wages and Idaho rents. For a minimum-wage worker earning $7.25 an hour, that means clocking more than 150 hours a week – essentially four full-time jobs – just to keep a roof above their family’s heads.

School disruption is a significant – and overlooked – impact of housing loss for Idaho kids

In addition to Idaho’s high rents, our state is also experiencing a shortage of nearly 25,000  affordable and available homes for renters with low incomes. A home is affordable when a family spends no more than 30 percent of their household income on housing.

That means almost 25,000 Idaho families are paying more than they can afford on rent and likely only one emergency expense away from facing eviction. These families must also make tough choices every month between paying for rent, nutritious food, health care, school supplies, gas, and other basic necessities.

The ROAD to Housing Act of 2025 aims to alleviate these barriers by offering long-term policy solutions that strengthen our housing system for the future. It’s a chance to make progress on the housing challenges Idaho faces by creating stability, expanding opportunity, and ensuring families have a path to affordable and stable homes.

It creates an annual fund to help states and cities reform zoning laws, encourage smaller homes like duplexes and backyard apartments, and tackle the roadblocks that stop new housing from being built. It also strengthens Housing and Urban Development programs with funding for repairs to aging homes, streamlined housing vouchers, and expanded support for rural communities, veterans, and people experiencing homelessness.

Housing is about more than four walls. When families have a safe, affordable place to live, kids do better in school, parents can focus on work, and low-income households can begin to build stability instead of falling further behind. Strong housing policy also strengthens local economies; businesses thrive when workers can afford to live nearby and take the jobs they’re trained for.

As of Aug. 1, 2025, the Road to Housing Act of 2025 passed the U.S. Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee. It is now on track for consideration by the full Senate.

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