Affordable housing development in Boise opens [Video]

BOISE, Idaho — The City of Boise moved one steps closer Wednesday toward its goal of making sure everyone who calls Boise ‘home’ has a home. 

The city officially opened its first affordable Housing Land Trust development, The Franklin, in the Central Bench neighborhood.

 “It’s really exciting,” Mayor Lauren McLean said during a news conference, “and kind of tears at my heartstrings to see so many people here today.”

The opening was a long time coming. Conversations about The Franklin started in 2020. 

The Housing Land Trust program takes city-owned land and leases it to a private company to build housing with affordable rent. In this case, the city partnered with Salt Lake-based J. Companies. 

“The Franklin is our first big, affordable project here in Boise, but the first of many,” Jake Wood said.  

The city claimsthe majority of The Franklin’s roughly 200 apartments are affordable to …