“I am committed to making Boise a safe and welcoming city for everyone. That means keeping our families safe, our neighborhoods safe, and treating everyone with compassion and respect. I am shocked and deeply dismayed that the Ada County Commissioners have, once again, refused to invest in temporary, emergency shelter for unhoused families with children, leaving the City of Boise solely responsible for addressing countywide issues.
I won't allow families, children, to be pushed out onto the street. I won't turn our back on those who need help to remain housed, even if their housing is a temporary hotel room. I won't tolerate tent cities, and I won't give up on people. The decision made by the County Commission to deny funds for housing at the Red Lion means families will be pushed out onto the streets, with no roof over their heads and nowhere else to go. Decisions like these, actions like these, are what will turn us into another Portland, where tent cities are rampant.
I won't allow our city to become another Portland, Seattle, or San Francisco. Those cities gave up on their residents, and we've seen the results: tent cities, too many people without the homes or services they need to be self-sufficient. I asked for the County's approval of bridge funding to keep our vulnerable families housed while I work with my team on permanent solutions – they refused. I will make sure that these families remain housed and off our streets. I've directed my staff to find a way to keep the families housed at Red Lion while we bring permanent supportive housing online, work to end family homelessness, support organizations serving the less fortunate, and realize our vision of a safe and welcoming city for everyone”