Blackfoot, like much of eastern Idaho, is growing faster than our housing supply can keep up. Rising interest rates, higher building costs, and inflation have pushed home prices and rents beyond the reach of too many working families. While new apartments and multi-family units have been built, wages here are often too low to make even those homes affordable.
This isn’t just about numbers on a chart—it’s about families who want to stay in the community they love but feel priced out. Our kids and grandkids should be able to afford to live where they grew up. That means smart planning, listening to families, working with builders, and protecting taxpayers.
The solution requires balance. The city must work with developers to create a healthy mix of housing—single-family homes, townhomes, and apartments—while aligning infrastructure and zoning decisions with long-term growth. Smart incentives can encourage investment, but they must be designed carefully so that taxpayers don’t carry the entire burden.
We also have to face the simple truth: housing will never be affordable unless wages and jobs keep pace. Building homes without addressing jobs and income leaves families just as strained.
With decades of experience in law, business, and planning, I know that responsible growth means weighing every factor—costs, wages, jobs, and infrastructure—before acting. If we do this right, growth won’t just add rooftops; it will strengthen families, protect taxpayers, and secure Blackfoot’s future for generations.
