DISCLAIMER: Hi, hello. I’m about to go on a rant, so if you’re not prepared for that, you might as well hop off this article right now. 

Okay? Cool. Thanks.

 

BOISE – I’ve got three letters for you: WTF. 

This housing market is absolutely insane right now. Like, straight freaking bonkers.

 

What is "affordable"?

For starters, I have been scouring the Internet nonstop, searching for possible rental opportunities within the Treasure Valley, and I have not been able to find a single apartment listed online for less than $1,000. 

The cheapest were around $1,200, but if we consider the added utilities and expenses on top of that, we’re still sitting at around $1,500. As the cheapest

In 2021, the average income for Idahoans per capita was $27,970. That equals roughly $2,331 per month. 

 

How are we expected to survive, let alone thrive in our society, when most (or at least more than half) of our income is going directly towards our housing? 

And it’s not even an investment that’s going back in our pockets, like if we owned our home. It’s literally going straight down the drain. 

We can’t even attempt to get ahead in this system because we’re barely even treading above water. 

Forget living alone – you have to have roommates in this market.

 

What about pets?

Now, don’t even get me started on pet deposits, pet rent and having to acquire a letter stating your animal is certified for emotional support in order for you to even have it in the apartment complex. 

I’m expected to jump through all of these extra hoops and pay how much extra money each month for me to have my tiny, elderly 10-pound dog who just sleeps all day long? 

If they even approve and allow me to have my dog in the complex? Because if they say no, then I have to search for an entirely different place instead, but most housing options aren’t pet-friendly these days.

 

I’m sorry, but why should I have to go through all of this extra effort, when families with small children can live in the same complex without having to worry about these additional costs?

Don’t get me wrong, I love children! But this just doesn’t compute with me. 

I can guarantee you that my little, adorable, sleepy baby angel of a dog is not even comparable to the destructiveness of young children.

 

What are we supposed to do?

I just feel like we’re already set up to lose in our society in this day and age, and it’s just one thing after another.

It’s like we’re starting the race ten minutes after the gun went off, with 50-pound weights on our backs, and expected to run the same race as everyone else.

We need a new system, because this one isn’t working anymore.

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