Some Idaho Politicians Are Happy With Picking You Clean on Housing Costs

A quarter of the price of a new home in Idaho is the cost of regulations.  New developments in many cases also involve the sinking of wells, even though housing uses perhaps two percent of available water.  The figures come from the Magic Valley Builders Association, which is lobbying for changes in regulations that could lower a buyer’s cost.

Meanwhile, State Senator Ali Rabe of Boise is attempting to rally her colleagues to make some changes that would reduce rental and mortgage costs.  She has the blessing of the Mountain States Policy Center.

Rabe is a Democrat, but she’s joined by several Republicans in an attempt to create a commission to review needless and costly regulations.  She told Newsradio 96.1 FM and 1310 KILX that Montana conducted a similar study and identified two dozen areas that could be changed or revoked to lower the price of housing.

This is the resolution the Idaho State Senate adopted and sent to the House of Representatives.

This week I also had an opportunity to speak with representatives of some state and local governments.  They have a challenge in recruiting workers because starting pay makes it difficult to cover skyrocketing rents in the valley.

Finally, the simplest solution is the law of supply and demand.  The Pacific Legal Foundation sums it up in a guest editorial in the Washington Examiner.  If you build more houses and more rental units, you’ll lower the price tag.

The builders in the Magic Valley are facing resistance from some of the usual suspects.  Some State Legislators are looking out for their interests.  I have the name of one, and I’ll be sharing his identity on-air next week.

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