BOISE BENCH, Idaho — Across Ada County, rent prices have skyrocketed between 2015 and 2023 by 71%. That's more than a quarter above the national average, according to the Idaho Policy Institute.
After seeing last week’s story about a Boise Bench renter whose monthly rent jumped 57% in just five years, local landlord Betsy Carver reached out to Idaho News 6. She said she keeps her rents below market for tenants, even with rising costs, and encourages other landlords to do the same.
"Without it, I'd probably be homeless, to be honest with you," said Tina Ashton, one of Betsy Carver's tenants.
Carver said she is committed to keeping costs as affordable as possible, even as her own property taxes climb.
"By raising rents and making it untenable for them, we are really changing the face of Ada County, which I do not agree with," Carver said.
WATCH: Why a local landlord is keeping rent prices below market value
It makes a huge difference for Carver's tenants like Ashton.
"I would have had to have gotten a roommate or found a different place and then probably gotten rid of a cat or two,” Ashton said. “So it would have put me in a really bad spot.”
Ashton tells me that in the last 10 years, her rent has only gone up about $250 total. She said that stability gives her something rare in today's market— security.
"I lost a long-term, high-paying job. But I have a home and a roof over my head, and with her I feel like no matter what happens, I have that," Ashton said. "She's my greatest blessing. Yeah, period. She's my greatest blessing.”
Carver acknowledges that not every property owner can afford to keep rents below market, but said that when it’s possible, landlords should consider it.
And she thinks the city could play a part in keeping prices down.
"I would like to see even something as simple as, if you keep the rents a certain percentage below what the market rent is, you get some sort of exemption on your taxes, and that allows us to continue to do what we like to do," Carver said.
The City of Boise’s Planning and Development Services team said they're researching new ways to support small landlords, another tool to help ensure there's a place for every neighbor in Boise to call home.
Local Housing Support Services
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