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Community House
Boise, Idaho

Community House incorporates on-site services and a variety of housing options for formerly homeless persons.

During the late 1980s Boise, Idaho, experienced a population increase of more than 22 percent. This dramatic rate of growth drove up housing costs as the vacancy rate shrank to less than 1 percent by 1991. Unfortunately, employment opportunities did not keep pace with the growing population; most newly created jobs were in the service industry, with the majority paying less than $10 an hour. The number of homeless families and individuals in Boise also rose dramatically. Surveys in the early 1990s showed a 20 percent increase in the number of homeless persons.

In response to this problem, the Boise City-Ada County Coalition for the Homeless was formed and began to develop a plan for providing coordinated services and facilities for homeless persons through a continuum of care model. This model provides for comprehensive case management and a variety of on-site housing options, services, and referrals.

In 1992, the City of Boise joined with the Coalition to build Community House, a $2.7 million residential and service facility for homeless persons. The facility opened in 1994; it houses 10 two-bedroom emergency shelter units, 10 two-bedroom transitional housing units for families, 15 emergency shelter beds for females, and 68 beds for males. Thirty-eight units of permanent single-room occupancy (SRO) housing are also available at Community House.

Comprehensive case management is offered to individuals and families, including assessment, stabilization, identification of needs and goals, and development of a social service plan. On-site services include child care, medical screening, counseling, and veterans' services. Coordinated referrals are available to organizations and agencies providing employment training, job placement, vocational rehabilitation, income assistance, and other services.

The goal of the social service plan is to ensure that the individual or family can function successfully outside the program, maintaining employment and securing affordable housing. The length of stay at Community House depends on progress through the continuum; follow-up case management is provided for six months after departure. In their attempts to secure permanent housing, individuals may access the on-site SRO units at Community House.

The lion's share of funding for the project, more than $1 million, was provided through local HOME funds. The City of Boise contributed nearly $570,000 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds, and more than $145,000 came from state general funds that had been appropriated specifically to fulfill the HOME match requirement. The project also received a $657,315 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank. Substantial cash and in-kind contributions were donated, and the Boise City-Ada County Coalition for the Homeless engaged in fundraising activities for more than two years before the project was completed.

The operating budget for Community House is funded through a variety of sources, including local CDBG funds, Emergency Shelter Grant funds, the United Way, Ada County government, rents from the SRO units, and contributions from corporations, religious organizations, and individuals.

Community House was made possible through a strong, effective partnership among the nonprofit coalition, the city, and the state, and through the participation of local community and business leaders interested in improving housing and service options for homeless persons in Boise. By providing a single point of contact, the facility has reduced duplication of services to the homeless and offered a variety of housing options in a safe, attractive, and modern environment.

Contact: Timothy J. Hogland, City of Boise, 208/384-3800

Copyright 1997 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000
Affordable Housing and HOME
National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials (NAHRO)
630 Eye Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001-3736
Telephone: (202) 289-3500
Fax: (202) 289-4949