BOISE — The Treasure Valley’s current housing market is seeing higher than normal rent and home prices than what Idahoans would normally expect. Now, the Boise City/Ada County Housing Authorities started accepting pre-applications for placement in their low-rent public housing apartments.
“For people who are on a fixed income, don’t have a way to bring in additional income and you look at what the market rates are for even a one-bedroom or a studio, oftentimes it is Many hundreds of dollars more than a person on say a disability income would have," BCACHA Executive Director Deanna Watson said.
Shoreline Plaza Apartments is one of the three high-rise buildings accepting applications for potential new tenants over the age of 62 with low income or a disability.
“Everybody who lives here has to be at 80% of the area median income or below and then we calculate their portion of the rent based off a general formula of 30-40% of their income toward rent and utilities and then we make up the difference up to the amount the total rent is,” Watson said.
Applicants must meet the following qualifications to be eligible:
- The household must be low-income (80% or below Area Median Income)
- Applicant must be a person who has U.S. Citizenship or eligible immigration status
- The household must be one where the Head of Household, co-head or spouse is age 62 or older, OR the Head of Household, co-head or spouse is disabled
There's a total of 240 units — and those interested are encouraged to join the waitlist by the end of the month.
If you need help now, there are still millions of dollars of emergency rental assistance funds available.
“If the cause of the need for assistance financially is in any way related to covid then we can pay their landlord what they owe in back rent and going forward. We do still have funding available so if someone is on the waiting list or trying to get on the waiting list but struggling," Watson said.
Pre-applications for the LRPH and Section 8 New Construction waiting lists may be submitted at 1001 S. Orchard Street, Boise, ID 83705, through the mail, by fax at 208-345-4909, by email at phwaitlist@bcacha.org or via the website after completion of the application. The waitlist will be open until September 27.
