What If Boise Had Implemented Comprehensive Growth Management in 2010?

The Actual History

Boise, Idaho—the capital and largest city in Idaho—experienced one of the most dramatic growth surges of any mid-sized American city in the late 2010s and early 2020s. This rapid expansion transformed the once-affordable mountain west city into one of the nation's most overheated housing markets, creating significant challenges for long-time residents and reshaping the city's character and economy.

Boise's growth trajectory was shaped by several interconnected factors:

Lifestyle Migration: Boise's combination of outdoor recreation access, relatively mild climate, and small-city amenities made it increasingly attractive to residents leaving larger, more expensive coastal cities. This trend accelerated dramatically during the COVID-19 pandemic as remote work became more common.
Economic Development: The city successfully diversified its economy beyond its traditional government and agricultural base, developing significant technology, healthcare, and financial services sectors. Major employers including Micron Technology, HP Inc., and St. Luke's Health System expanded their operations in the region.
National Recognition: Beginning around 2014, Boise began appearing regularly on "best places to live" lists in national publications, creating a virtuous (or vicious, depending on perspective) cycle of attention and in-migration. The city was frequently highlighted for its quality of life, outdoor amenities, and relative affordability compared to coastal markets.
Limited Housing Supply: Despite growing demand, housing production in Boise and the surrounding Treasure Valley failed to keep pace with population growth. Constraints included limited construction capacity, restrictive zoning that prioritized single-family homes, and infrastructure capacity limitations.
Regional Fragmentation: The Boise metropolitan area spans multiple municipalities and counties with different development regulations and priorities, creating coordination challenges for regional planning and infrastructure development.

The combination of these factors led to a dramatic acceleration of growth and housing price increases:

Population Growth: Boise's population increased from approximately 205,000 in 2010 to 235,000 in 2020, a 14.6% increase. The broader metropolitan area grew even faster, from about 616,000 to 770,000 during the same period, a 25% increase.
Housing Price Surge: Between 2015 and 2022, Boise's median home price more than doubled, from approximately $210,000 to over $500,000, with the most dramatic increases occurring between 2020 and 2022. At its peak, Boise led the nation in housing price appreciation, with annual increases exceeding 30%.
Rental Market Pressure: Rental rates increased by over 50% between 2015 and 2022, with average one-bedroom apartments reaching approximately $1,400 monthly by 2022, up from about $800 in 2015.
Affordability Crisis: By 2022, housing costs had far outpaced local wages. The median home price was approximately 7.5 times the median household income, well above the 3-4 times ratio considered affordable. Many essential workers including teachers, firefighters, and service industry employees could no longer afford to live in the city.

Boise's response to these challenges evolved over time but remained largely reactive rather than proactive:

Housing Affordability Initiatives: The city established an affordable housing fund in 2018 and later developed an affordable housing land trust, but these programs remained relatively small in scale compared to the magnitude of the affordability challenge.
Zoning Reforms: In 2019, Boise began implementing modest zoning reforms to allow more housing types in traditionally single-family neighborhoods, including accessory dwelling units and some "missing middle" housing. However, these changes affected a relatively small portion of the city's land area.
Transportation Investments: The region increased investment in public transportation and bicycle infrastructure, but these improvements lagged behind growth, and the area remained heavily car-dependent.
Growth Management Planning: The city updated its comprehensive plan in 2018 with greater emphasis on sustainable growth, but implementation tools remained limited, and coordination with surrounding jurisdictions was inconsistent.

By 2025, Boise's housing market had cooled somewhat from its 2021-2022 peak, with price appreciation slowing and inventory increasing. However, the fundamental affordability challenges remained. The median home price stabilized around $475,000, still far beyond the reach of many local wage earners. The city had become increasingly economically segregated, with many workers commuting long distances from more affordable outlying areas.

The rapid growth also created significant strains on infrastructure, natural resources, and community character:

Traffic Congestion: Commute times increased substantially, with major corridors experiencing regular congestion despite road expansion projects.
Water Resources: The combination of population growth and climate change-induced drought created concerns about long-term water availability in the arid region.
Open Space Pressure: Development expanded into previously undeveloped foothills and farmland, reducing wildlife habitat and agricultural land while increasing wildfire risk in the urban-wildland interface.
Community Tension: The influx of new residents, many from California and other western states, created cultural and political tensions, with debates about growth and development becoming increasingly contentious.

This history raises a compelling counterfactual question: What if Boise had implemented a comprehensive growth management framework a decade earlier, before its dramatic growth acceleration? How might the city and region have developed differently if it had proactively planned for sustainable growth rather than reacting to market-driven development pressures?

The Point of Divergence

In this alternate timeline, the divergence occurs in 2010, as Boise emerges from the Great Recession with its housing market and economy relatively less damaged than many other regions. The catalyst comes when newly-elected Mayor David Bieter, beginning his second term, recognizes early warning signs of the growth pressures that would later transform the city.

Several factors create a window of opportunity for a different approach:

Post-Recession Reflection: The 2008-2009 recession prompts broader questioning of conventional development patterns and their economic and environmental sustainability.
Early Recognition: Data from the 2010 Census and initial post-recession migration patterns show accelerating population growth in the Treasure Valley, particularly from California, Washington, and Oregon.
Affordable Housing Concerns: Despite Boise's relative affordability compared to coastal cities, local housing advocates are already identifying early signs of housing stress for lower-income residents.
Regional Examples: Nearby western cities including Portland, Oregon and Boulder, Colorado provide both positive and cautionary examples of growth management approaches and their consequences.

In September 2010, Mayor Bieter convenes the "Boise Valley Future Summit," bringing together elected officials from across the region, planning experts, developers, business leaders, environmental organizations, and neighborhood representatives. The three-day event includes presentations on growth projections, housing economics, transportation planning, and environmental constraints.

The summit produces the "Treasure Valley Sustainable Growth Compact," a framework with several key components:

Regional Housing Strategy: A coordinated approach to housing that distributes affordable housing throughout the region, streamlines approval processes for multi-family development in appropriate locations, and establishes inclusionary zoning requirements for new developments above a certain size.
Urban Growth Framework: Designation of priority development areas within existing urban footprints, with infrastructure investments focused on supporting higher-density development in these areas while establishing clearer boundaries for outward expansion.
Transportation Integration: A regional transportation plan emphasizing transit corridors, bicycle connectivity, and walkable development patterns, with new housing and commercial development concentrated along existing and planned transit routes.
Open Space Preservation: A coordinated program to protect foothills, farmland, and riparian corridors through a combination of conservation easements, transfer of development rights, and strategic public acquisition of critical lands.
Water Resource Management: Comprehensive water conservation requirements for new development, incentives for retrofitting existing properties, and coordinated planning for long-term water sustainability across the watershed.

The compact faces significant challenges, particularly regarding implementation authority and funding. Idaho's strong property rights tradition and limited planning requirements create legal and political obstacles to some proposed measures. Developers and some property owners express concern about potential impacts on land values and development rights.

The breakthrough comes in early 2011, when the Idaho Legislature, influenced by a coalition of business leaders concerned about sustainable economic growth, passes the "Idaho Community Planning Enhancement Act." This legislation stops short of mandating specific growth management measures but provides cities and counties with expanded authority to implement coordinated planning, including:

Authorization for voluntary inter-local agreements on growth management
Expanded impact fee authority to fund infrastructure in growing areas
Legal framework for transfer of development rights programs
Enabling legislation for housing trust funds and inclusionary zoning

With this state-level support, the Treasure Valley Regional Planning Coalition forms in mid-2011, with participation from Ada and Canyon Counties and the cities of Boise, Meridian, Nampa, Caldwell, Eagle, and Garden City. The coalition adopts the Sustainable Growth Compact as its guiding framework and begins developing specific implementation measures.

Boise takes the lead in implementation, adopting a comprehensive package of ordinances in early 2012:

A form-based zoning code that allows greater density and mixed uses along transit corridors
An inclusionary zoning requirement for developments over 20 units
A housing trust fund supported by linkage fees on commercial development
A transfer of development rights program to protect foothills and open space
Water efficiency standards for new construction

Other municipalities in the region adopt similar measures over the next two years, though with variations reflecting their different contexts and political environments. By 2014, the regional framework is substantially in place, just as Boise begins receiving national attention as a desirable relocation destination.

Immediate Aftermath

Early Implementation Challenges

The first few years of the Treasure Valley Sustainable Growth Compact reveal both promising results and implementation challenges:

Developer Adaptation: The development community initially responds with concern to the new requirements, particularly inclusionary zoning. Several projects are delayed as developers adjust their financial models and designs. By 2014, however, most have adapted to the new framework, with some becoming strong advocates after finding that the streamlined approval process for projects in priority development areas actually reduces their overall costs and timelines.
Housing Production Shifts: Housing production begins shifting toward a more diverse mix, with multi-family units increasing from approximately 15% of new construction in 2010 to 35% by 2015. "Missing middle" housing types including townhomes, duplexes, and small apartment buildings become more common, particularly along designated transit corridors.
Regional Coordination Friction: Despite the formal regional agreement, tensions emerge between municipalities with different growth philosophies. Boise's more aggressive approach to density and affordability sometimes conflicts with more suburban-oriented perspectives in surrounding communities. These tensions lead to ongoing negotiations and occasional compromises in regional implementation.
Transportation Implementation Lag: While land use changes proceed relatively quickly, transportation infrastructure improvements—particularly transit enhancements—move more slowly due to funding constraints and institutional inertia. This creates temporary mismatches between density and mobility options in some areas.

Despite these challenges, by 2015, the framework is showing measurable positive impacts:

Affordability Maintenance: While housing prices are increasing, the rate of increase remains moderate, with median home prices approximately 10% lower than in the actual timeline. The inclusionary zoning requirements have created approximately 600 dedicated affordable units by 2015.
Concentrated Development: Approximately 60% of new housing units are being built within designated priority development areas, reducing sprawl and infrastructure costs compared to the business-as-usual scenario.
Open Space Protection: The transfer of development rights program has protected approximately 3,000 acres of foothills and farmland by 2015, maintaining wildlife corridors and agricultural viability.
Water Conservation: New developments are using approximately 25% less water per household than pre-compact developments, contributing to more sustainable water use despite population growth.

Market Response and Economic Impacts

The growth management framework influences market dynamics and economic development in several ways:

Housing Market Segmentation: The housing market develops greater diversity in both housing types and price points. While luxury housing development continues, particularly in desirable foothills locations, the middle market expands significantly with townhomes, condominiums, and smaller single-family homes on compact lots becoming more widely available.
Commercial Development Patterns: Commercial development increasingly concentrates in mixed-use centers rather than strip developments along arterial roads. Several older shopping centers begin redeveloping into mixed-use districts with housing above retail, creating more vibrant activity centers.
Economic Development Positioning: Boise's proactive approach to sustainable growth becomes part of its economic development brand, attracting companies and workers interested in quality of life and environmental values. Several technology companies cite the city's sustainability commitment in their location decisions.
Construction Sector Evolution: The construction industry adapts to the new development patterns, with some builders specializing in missing middle housing types and mixed-use projects. Training programs develop at local community colleges to build the workforce skills needed for these more complex building types.

Social and Community Dynamics

The implementation reshapes social and community dynamics in the region:

Neighborhood Evolution: Established neighborhoods begin seeing gentle density increases through accessory dwelling units, duplex conversions, and small infill developments. While creating some tensions, the incremental nature of these changes allows for adaptation rather than dramatic transformation.
Socioeconomic Integration: The distribution of affordable housing throughout the region, rather than concentration in specific areas, creates more mixed-income communities. Schools begin showing more socioeconomic diversity, with positive impacts on educational outcomes for lower-income students.
Transportation Behavior: Despite the lag in transit infrastructure, transportation behaviors begin shifting. Bicycle commuting increases from approximately 4% of trips in 2010 to 7% by 2015, while carpooling and transit use show modest gains. These changes help moderate traffic congestion despite population growth.
Community Engagement: The implementation process creates new channels for community involvement in planning decisions. Neighborhood planning workshops become regular events, building social capital and giving residents meaningful input into how growth affects their communities.

Political Evolution

The political landscape around growth and development evolves significantly:

Shifting Coalitions: Traditional political alignments around growth issues begin breaking down. Some developers become advocates for smart growth as they recognize its business advantages, while some neighborhood groups that initially opposed density become supporters after seeing thoughtfully designed projects that enhance their areas.
Regional Identity Strengthening: The collaborative planning process strengthens regional identity and cooperation. By 2015, the Treasure Valley Regional Planning Coalition has expanded its focus to include economic development, air quality, and regional parks planning.
Political Leadership: Politicians who can effectively navigate growth issues—balancing environmental protection, housing affordability, and economic development—gain prominence. The ability to build consensus across different stakeholder groups becomes a valued political skill.
State-Level Influence: Boise's approach begins influencing other Idaho communities and state-level policy discussions. The Idaho Community Planning Enhancement Act is strengthened in 2015 with additional provisions supporting regional planning and affordable housing.

Long-term Impact

Housing Affordability and Market Dynamics

By 2025, Boise's housing market shows significant differences from the actual timeline:

Price Moderation: While housing costs have increased substantially since 2010, the median home price stands at approximately $380,000, about 20% lower than in the actual timeline. This moderation reflects both increased supply and a more diverse housing stock.
Rental Affordability: Rental rates have increased more moderately than in the actual timeline, with the average one-bedroom apartment renting for approximately $1,100 monthly compared to $1,400 in the actual timeline. The rental market includes a wider range of options, from micro-units to family-sized apartments.
Housing Production Volume: Annual housing production is approximately 15% higher than in the actual timeline, with a much more diverse mix of housing types. Multi-family and missing middle housing constitute approximately 45% of new units, compared to 25% in the actual timeline.
Dedicated Affordable Housing: The combination of inclusionary zoning requirements and housing trust fund investments has created approximately 4,500 dedicated affordable units across the region, housing about 12,000 residents who might otherwise have been priced out.
Market Stability: The housing market shows greater stability than in the actual timeline, avoiding both the extreme price spikes of 2020-2022 and the subsequent correction. This stability benefits both homeowners and the broader regional economy.

Urban Form and Development Patterns

The physical development of Boise and the surrounding region reflects the influence of the growth management framework:

Transit-Oriented Corridors: Several major corridors including State Street, Broadway Avenue, and Vista Avenue have transformed into vibrant, mixed-use districts with frequent transit service, protected bicycle lanes, and pedestrian-friendly streetscapes. These areas accommodate a significant portion of the region's growth while maintaining human-scale development.
Neighborhood Centers: Throughout Boise and surrounding communities, neighborhood commercial districts have evolved into mixed-use centers with housing above retail, creating walkable "15-minute neighborhoods" where daily needs can be met without driving.
Foothills Preservation: The transfer of development rights program has protected approximately 12,000 acres of foothills by 2025, maintaining the iconic backdrop to the city while concentrating development in more appropriate locations. A comprehensive trail system provides public access while protecting sensitive habitat areas.
Agricultural Preservation: Unlike the actual timeline where agricultural land in the Treasure Valley was rapidly converted to suburban development, approximately 15,000 acres of productive farmland have been protected through conservation easements and the transfer of development rights program, maintaining the region's agricultural economy and food security.
Infill and Redevelopment: Approximately 40% of new housing units since 2015 have been created through infill and redevelopment of previously developed areas, compared to about 20% in the actual timeline. This has reduced infrastructure costs and preserved open space while revitalizing older areas.

Transportation and Mobility

The region's transportation system has evolved differently than in the actual timeline:

Transit Development: By 2025, the Treasure Valley has implemented a bus rapid transit system along three major corridors, with dedicated lanes, signal priority, and high-quality stations. Ridership has increased from less than 2% of commute trips in 2010 to approximately 8% by 2025.
Bicycle Network: A comprehensive network of protected bicycle lanes, neighborhood greenways, and off-street paths connects all parts of the region, supporting bicycle commuting rates of approximately 9%, among the highest for mid-sized U.S. cities.
Walkability Improvements: Targeted investments in sidewalks, crosswalks, and pedestrian amenities have significantly improved walkability throughout the region. The average Walk Score in Boise has increased from 40 in 2010 to 58 by 2025.
Reduced Vehicle Dependence: The combination of more compact development patterns and improved alternatives has reduced vehicle miles traveled per capita by approximately 15% compared to 2010 levels, moderating traffic congestion despite population growth.
Parking Reform: Reforms to parking requirements have reduced the land dedicated to parking, allowing for more efficient land use and more attractive urban environments. Several former parking lots have been redeveloped as housing or mixed-use projects.

Economic Development and Structure

The region's economy in 2025 reflects the influence of its different development path:

Knowledge Economy Growth: Boise has strengthened its position as a center for technology, healthcare, and professional services. The combination of quality of life, housing affordability, and sustainability commitment has proven particularly attractive to knowledge workers and companies prioritizing these factors.
Retention of Middle-Income Jobs: Unlike many high-growth cities that have experienced "hollowing out" of middle-income employment, Boise has maintained a diverse economic base including manufacturing, construction, and skilled trades. The more moderate housing costs have allowed these workers to remain in the community.
Agricultural Economy Preservation: The protection of agricultural land has maintained a robust farming and food processing sector, which has increasingly oriented toward local and regional markets. A vibrant local food system connects Treasure Valley farms with urban consumers.
Tourism Evolution: Boise's tourism sector has grown with its national profile, but with a focus on outdoor recreation, cultural experiences, and sustainability rather than the rapid development of resorts and second homes seen in some mountain west cities.
Fiscal Health: The more efficient development pattern has improved the fiscal position of local governments by reducing per capita infrastructure and service costs. This has created capacity for investment in quality of life amenities and human services without tax increases.

Social and Demographic Patterns

The social fabric of Boise and the Treasure Valley reflects the different development path:

Economic Integration: The distribution of affordable housing throughout the region has created more economically integrated communities than in the actual timeline, where affordability challenges led to increasing segregation by income. Schools show greater socioeconomic diversity, with positive effects on educational outcomes.
Age Diversity: The diverse housing options have allowed both younger residents and seniors to find appropriate housing in established neighborhoods, creating more age-integrated communities than the actual timeline's pattern of age-segregated housing developments.
Reduced Displacement: The combination of tenant protections, affordable housing production, and moderate market-rate price increases has significantly reduced displacement of long-time residents compared to the actual timeline. Neighborhood social networks and community institutions have maintained greater continuity.
Newcomer Integration: The more gradual pace of in-migration and the community engagement focus of the planning process has facilitated better integration of newcomers into the community. Cultural and political tensions between long-time residents and new arrivals, while still present, are less pronounced than in the actual timeline.
Health Outcomes: The region shows better public health outcomes than in the actual timeline, with higher rates of physical activity, lower obesity rates, and reduced air pollution-related illness. These benefits stem from the more walkable development pattern, better active transportation infrastructure, and preserved open space.

Environmental Conditions

The region's environmental trajectory differs significantly from the actual timeline:

Water Resource Sustainability: Despite population growth, total water consumption has increased by only about 10% since 2010, compared to 30% in the actual timeline. Water-efficient new development, retrofit programs for existing properties, and protected watershed lands have all contributed to this outcome.
Air Quality: While still challenged by wildfire smoke in summer months (a regional climate change impact), local air pollution from transportation has decreased despite population growth. Winter air quality has improved significantly as compact development has reduced driving and wood stove use has declined.
Habitat Connectivity: The coordinated open space preservation strategy has maintained wildlife corridors connecting the Boise River, foothills, and surrounding public lands. Biodiversity monitoring shows stable or improving conditions for most native species, unlike the declining trends in the actual timeline.
Urban Tree Canopy: Boise's urban tree canopy has increased from approximately 16% coverage in 2010 to 22% by 2025, compared to a slight decline in the actual timeline. This expansion has reduced the urban heat island effect and improved neighborhood livability.
Carbon Footprint: The combination of compact development, transportation alternatives, energy-efficient building standards, and preserved natural lands has reduced the region's per capita carbon footprint by approximately 25% compared to 2010 levels, positioning Boise as a leader among mid-sized American cities in climate action.

National and Regional Influence

Boise's alternative development path has influenced planning and development approaches beyond Idaho:

Mountain West Model: The "Boise Approach" has become a widely studied model for sustainable growth management in rapidly growing mountain west cities. Communities including Bend, Oregon; Missoula, Montana; and Fort Collins, Colorado have adapted elements of the Treasure Valley framework to their contexts.
Red State Sustainability: Boise has demonstrated how sustainability and smart growth principles can be successfully implemented in politically conservative states by emphasizing economic benefits, property rights protections, and local control rather than regulatory mandates. This approach has influenced planning discussions in states with similar political environments.
Rural-Urban Balance: The framework's success in protecting agricultural lands while accommodating urban growth has made it a model for regions seeking to maintain working landscapes alongside vibrant cities. The transfer of development rights program has been particularly influential.
Mid-Sized City Leadership: Boise has emerged as a leader among mid-sized American cities in demonstrating alternatives to either unconstrained sprawl or unaffordable hyper-density. Its human-scaled approach to growth management has resonated with communities seeking to maintain quality of life while accommodating growth.

The Counterfactual Present

By 2025, this alternate Boise faces a different set of challenges and opportunities than the actual city:

Growth Management Evolution: Having successfully managed its initial growth surge, Boise is now focused on refining its approach to address emerging challenges including climate change adaptation, evolving housing preferences, and changing transportation technologies.
Regional Expansion: The success of the Treasure Valley framework has created interest in expanding similar approaches to faster-growing rural areas of Idaho, requiring new forms of urban-rural cooperation and state policy support.
Economic Diversification: With a strong foundation of affordability and livability, the region is working to further diversify its economy, with particular focus on clean energy, sustainable agriculture technology, and outdoor recreation industries.
Cultural Evolution: The more gradual pace of change has allowed Boise's distinctive local culture to evolve rather than being rapidly transformed by in-migration. The city maintains its unpretentious, community-oriented character while incorporating positive influences from newcomers.

In this alternate 2025, Boise stands as a model of how mid-sized American cities can accommodate growth while maintaining affordability, sustainability, and community character. The city still faces challenges, particularly as climate change impacts intensify and national housing pressures continue, but it confronts them from a position of greater resilience and community cohesion than in the actual timeline.

Expert Opinions

Dr. Arthur C. Nelson, Professor of Urban Planning and Real Estate Development at the University of Arizona and author of "Reshaping Metropolitan America," observes:

"What's most striking about this counterfactual Boise is how it demonstrates the power of early intervention in growth management. In the actual timeline, Boise waited until housing affordability had already reached crisis levels before implementing significant policy changes, at which point market momentum and entrenched development patterns made meaningful intervention much more difficult. This scenario shows how a proactive approach, implemented before a growth surge rather than in reaction to it, can fundamentally alter development trajectories. The timing was crucial—acting in 2010-2012, during the post-recession period when growth pressures were building but had not yet reached their peak, created space for market adaptation and institutional learning before the most intense development pressures arrived. The regional approach was equally important, as it prevented the typical pattern where growth simply leapfrogs from jurisdictions with stronger regulations to those with weaker ones. This doesn't mean growth management is painless—there are always trade-offs and adjustments required—but it suggests that these trade-offs are far less severe when implemented systematically and proactively rather than as emergency measures during a crisis. The scenario also highlights how affordability and sustainability can be complementary rather than competing goals when approached through comprehensive planning rather than piecemeal interventions."

Mayor Lauren McLean of Boise (2020-present) notes:

"This alternate history captures something fundamental about housing markets and community development: prevention is far more effective and less painful than remediation. In the actual timeline, by the time we implemented significant housing initiatives around 2020, we were already facing a full-blown affordability crisis with median home prices that had far outpaced local wages. The policy tools available to us at that point—while important—could only moderate rather than reverse the affordability challenges. This counterfactual scenario suggests that with earlier action, we could have maintained a fundamentally more affordable housing market while still accommodating growth and economic development. The comprehensive approach combining land use, transportation, and housing policy is particularly important. In the actual timeline, these elements were often addressed separately, reducing their effectiveness. The scenario also correctly identifies the importance of regional cooperation. Housing markets don't respect municipal boundaries, and without coordinated action across jurisdictions, even the best local policies can be undermined by contradictory approaches in neighboring communities. While this scenario may seem idealistic from our current vantage point, it represents not just a technical alternative but a more equitable and sustainable vision for how growing cities can develop—one that we can still work toward, even if we're starting from a more challenging position than we might have in 2010."

Dr. Rebecca Saunders, housing economist and researcher at Boise State University, comments:

"This counterfactual scenario highlights something often overlooked in housing policy discussions: market structure matters as much as overall supply. In the actual timeline, Boise's housing production was not only insufficient in quantity but also narrowly concentrated in certain housing types—primarily detached single-family homes and, later, luxury apartments. This created a 'missing middle' problem where few options existed between these extremes. The alternative approach described here, with its emphasis on diverse housing types and strategic location of density, addresses this structural issue directly. The scenario also recognizes the importance of dedicated affordable housing alongside market-rate development. While increasing overall supply is necessary, it's not sufficient to ensure affordability for all income levels, particularly in a high-demand market. The inclusionary requirements and housing trust fund create permanently affordable units that remain accessible regardless of market conditions. Perhaps most importantly, this approach acknowledges the connection between housing and transportation costs—the two largest expenses for most households. By coordinating housing development with transportation investments, this Boise reduces the combined housing-transportation burden for residents, creating more genuine affordability than housing-only approaches. While market forces and national trends would still influence Boise's housing costs in this scenario, the policy framework creates a fundamentally different market structure that moderates these pressures and distributes their impacts more equitably."