BOISE, Idaho — Boise has added more affordable housing with the opening of Wilson Station Apartments, a 102-unit complex serving families earning below 80% of the area’s median income.
The complex, which first opened in May, is located next to Taft Elementary School. Five families who were previously homeless now have a place to call home.
WATCH: Boise welcomes the city's newest affordable housing units
“It’s just so exciting to see the impact,” Boise Mayor Lauren McLean said. "We had a dream. We built great partnerships. And now to see that dream become reality, and homes for Boise families is just so exciting."
McLean said the project was built on city-owned land, using over $1 million in federal funds as gap financing and additional investments. She credited Senator Mike Crapo’s work on federal tax credits, which developers used to help make the building possible.
“This makes possible homes for over 102 families,” McLean said. "Ten percent of those homes here will be for families exiting homelessness. In fact, five families have already moved in. We’ve got childcare for 40 kiddos downstairs. It creates community in a public-private partnership, the Boise way."
To qualify for housing at Wilson Station, a single person can’t earn more than $44,000 a year. Housing experts recommend people spend no more than 30% of their income on rent, meaning someone at that income level could afford about $1,200 a month.
According to rental market data, the average studio apartment in Boise costs around $1,450 a month, slightly above HUD’s 2025 Fair Market Rent of $1,390. At Wilson Station, studios start at about $1,066 a month and top out at $1,450, aiming to remain within reach for working families.
HUD Secretary Scott Turner, who attended the grand opening with Crapo and McLean, said the project is an example of successful collaboration.
“I love the partnership,” Turner said. "I love the beauty of it, the quality of it. Public-private partners coming together to create, you know, mixed-income housing. This is what it’s all about."
He added that on-site childcare makes Wilson Station stand out.
“I’ve seen some great ones, and this is right there with it,” Turner said. "Very consistent in the quality, air-conditioned corridors, spacious amenities. Now, child care, that’s unique. And so I’m happy to see that they are providing child care for the families."
With Wilson Station now open, the city has added more than 500 affordable homes since 2022.
