Builders in eastern Idaho don't need anybody to tell them homes cost too much. But it was still worth hearing who showed up Monday in Idaho Falls to talk about it, and what they want changed.
The Gem State Housing Alliance pulled together a panel on Oct. 19 at The Waterfront at Snake River Landing to dig into housing costs and how to get more homes built in the region. David Pace covered the event for Local News 8, KIFI in Idaho Falls.
Where the costs come from
Hollie Conde, the alliance's advocacy director, ran down the list most contractors could recite in their sleep. "We know that there are a lot of contributing factors to the cost of housing, right – labor costs, lumber cost, lending, land costs is a big one and, of course, the laws," she said.
Panelists pointed to rising material costs, impact fees and regulations as things that push up prices for homeowners and builders alike.
Todd Webb, president of the Idaho Home Builders Association, put his frustration plainly. "I have seen the prices increase and increase, and I really am frustrated about how it is working, and then how we can make it better for our future children and those people around us?" he asked.
The alliance estimates that government permits make up 25% to 40% of the price of a home. It also puts Idaho's housing shortage at about 60,000 homes, Conde said.
The gap buyers are facing
State Rep. Erin Bingham, R-District 32, gave the room a simple bit of math. "Right now, the average individual qualifies for about $300,000 to $320,000," she said. "Yet in Bonneville County, our average sales price of a home is about $430,000. So, as you can see, we have a gap."
Lenders see it, too. Trina Batte, a loan officer with Idaho Central Credit Union, said her biggest worry looking five years out is that local wages won't keep up with prices and monthly payments.
Julie Anglesey, broker owner of Berkshire Hathaway Silver Hawk East Idaho, said about 25% of her business this year has been first-time buyers, and some others simply gave up and decided to keep renting. Buyers who stick with it, she said, can stretch their budgets or compromise on location or condition.
What the panel wants changed
The alliance is pushing for more middle housing, the stuff between an apartment building and a single-family house. "So duplexes, townhomes, fourplexes, fiveplexes, cottage courts right where you have a bunch of really smaller homes that are clustered around a courtyard," Conde said.
The group advocates for free-market solutions, and Conde said the goal is homes that are "more affordable without having to put in complex subsidies or get money from the federal government to make those projects pencil."
Participants recommended local reforms on zoning, minimum lot sizes, setbacks, parking minimums and rules such as sprinkler requirements, "while maintaining safety." They also talked about property tax reform and indexing the homeowner's exemption to home prices.
The alliance points to a 2025 poll it ran showing 72% of Idahoans want legislators to find solutions on housing affordability. It is holding community conversations around the state to gather ideas and push for policy changes.
A tool builders can use
One thing contractors may not know about: the alliance's resources page has a "Development Flags" form where homebuilders and developers can flag a project that needs backup at a rezone, variance or other hearing. The alliance shares it with its network so members can show up, testify or submit comments. The same page offers a statewide zoning code analysis of 28 communities and a starter-home guide.
Why it matters for Contractors
The people at that table, a home builders association president, a lender, a broker and a legislator, mostly agree on what's driving costs, and much of it is local: lot sizes, setbacks, parking minimums and permit costs. Those are decided by city councils and planning commissions, not Washington, D.C. If the alliance gets traction, eastern Idaho contractors could see more room to build duplexes, townhomes and cottage courts on smaller lots. That's the kind of neighborhood-scale work many local builders already know how to do. Meanwhile, when one of your projects is headed for a tough hearing, it's worth knowing there's a group willing to send supporters to speak up for it.