CALDWELL, Idaho — Farmway Village, an 80-acre property west of I-84 in Canyon County, has witnessed decades of change and transformation while providing affordable housing to diverse populations.
"We estimate more than 15,000 different families call Farmway Village their homes over the years," said Mike Dittenber, executive director of Caldwell Housing Authority.
The community is currently home to over 1,000 residents, but its roots stretch back to the Great Depression.
"This place was, back in its inception, primarily occupied by Caucasians who were displaced by the Great Depression, and then, when the internment camps in Minidoka closed down, the place was primarily occupied by Japanese Americans," Dittenber said.
Watch to learn more about Farmway Village's history and plans for the future:
By the mid-50s, Farmway Village was dedicated to housing farmworkers and their families under the Bracero program before evolving into the affordable living community it is today.
Dittenber says a third of their units house local farmworkers.
"Another third of our property is divided up for workforce housing for employers in the Caldwell city limits, and a third of our housing is set aside for low-income people who may work outside of the Caldwell area," Dittenber said.
Dittenber says this mostly grassy land gives families a safe haven for children to play.
And while it's a few miles from easy access to shopping, dining, and other amenities, that could soon change with a new proposal.
"It's time for us to look at the next 85 years or even longer," Dittenber said.
The housing authority is now pushing for annexation into the city of Caldwell.
"With that, annexation means we have the ability to upgrade our facilities to provide new amenities, different types of housing, to just make this place solidified more as an asset," Dittenber said.
They hope to create space for RVs, attract small businesses, and develop commercial areas as the region grows.
"We are poised to meet the growing demand for affordable housing in the future," Dittenber said.
City planning and zoning officials have already approved the annexation plans. The final decision now rests with the City Council, which will vote on Monday, July 7.
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