Idaho Housing Crisis Reaches Critical Mass

First, I’m not saying this bus is occupied.  What caught my attention was the curtains in the windows, which suggest someone is looking for privacy.  Let’s just say it could be occupied.  We’re in a tight housing market and with raging inflation, a lot of working-class people are doing their best to survive.  Living on an old bus would be better than living in Rock Creek Canyon, which isn’t far from where I snapped the picture.

Housing is Becoming a Luxury

A few months ago, I learned from a member of a local government that a lot of people are living in RVs and small trailers parked next to homes.  There are some potential code violations.  A member of the government asked if I knew of anyone living this way that I keep the news to myself.  Otherwise, he would be forced to intercede.  He’s a Christian and compassionate and thought it better that he not know.

When I was a little boy, my school bus sometimes picked up kids living on reservation lands.  One winter, a family lived in an abandoned gas station.  It got them through some tough times.

Things May Not Get Better

Fortune magazine doesn’t expect the housing pressure in Idaho to ease anytime soon.  The publication has posted an interactive map of the country that you can see by clicking here.  Only a few counties nationwide are expected to see decreases a year from now.

A guy I used to work with once shared a story with me.  It was about a man who lived in a storage unit.  He was eventually forced to vacate because he didn’t have permission to live inside.  It's a shame he didn’t get some grace for creativity.