According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Idaho and Utah are building new housing at a faster pace than any other states in America. The Census data, spanning July 1, 2016 to July 1, 2017, showed Idaho with an increase of 1.7 percent in new construction of single-family homes, condominiums, and apartments during that period of time. Utah posted a 2.1 percent increase over the same period. Since 2010, North Dakota, Utah, Texas, and Idaho were the top four states for new construction in the country.
In this case, Idaho’s 2018 looks far different than its 2017 numbers might lead an investor to expect. Two days before the report was released, the mayor of Boise, Idaho, and the Boise city council convened a special session to discuss a lack of affordable housing inventory. The city also noted it is concerned about “dense, compact development and the effects of sprawl.”
Urban sprawl has created a unique problem in Utah already. Environmentalist groups in southeastern Utah have been engaged in an ongoing battle with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service over the classification of the Gunnison sage grouse. The bird could be imperiled if urban expansion continues into its traditional habitat. The groups hope to have the bird classified as endangered, which would change development in areas adjacent to and including its current habitat.
In Boise, the city council has a potential answer to concerns about urban sprawl, environmental and otherwise. According to one building official, housing units and houses could be built closer together with smaller rooms and lower ceilings and still meet municipal building codes. The city also plans to “encourage so-called tiny houses in an effort to spur denser construction of more affordable housing.” Another official described the square footage needed: “small and medium single-family dwellings in that 1,100-1,500 square-foot range.”
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