Kootenai County’s population has grown by more than 23 percent over the last decade. At the same time, the median home price has jumped 235 percent.
As home prices have surged in a market that hasn’t kept pace with demand, working families are having a hard time finding somewhere they can afford to buy or even rent, sparking concern among city and county leaders.
But an idea that began with a member of the Coeur d’Alene City Council has turned into a multi-pronged effort to combat the area’s housing crunch and ensure that people like teachers, firefighters and city employees have a place to live. From helping mobile home park residents form cooperatives to pairing older homeowners with roommates who can help around the house and finding a way to retain affordable homes, people in Kootenai County are working on multifaceted local approaches to a national issue.