COEUR d'ALENE — The Idaho Legislature passed two bills aimed at housing reform and overriding local control of certain housing regulations.

The House of Representatives voted 36-34 to pass the twice-amended Senate Bill 1352 and voted 47-23 to pass Senate Bill 1354. State Sen. Ben Toews, R-Coeur d’Alene, sponsored both bills. 

Idaho District 3A legislator Jordan Redman, R, said that he was pleased with the passage of the two bills. 

“I think that we have done a lot of great work this year on housing,” he said, “It is a small step forward in that American dream of American home ownership being realized.”

Bill 1352 aims to make housing more affordable by overriding city law and preventing local legislation from banning starter home subdivisions.

The bill defines starter home subdivisions as new subdivisions for single-family dwellings located on land of at least 4 acres. 

It prohibits local law from requiring lot sizes of at least 1,400 square feet for lots within starter home subdivisions. It will also restrict local law from requiring certain setback sizes and lengths, certain lot depths and requiring certain fees when building starter home subdivisions.

Bill 1354 aims to remove city law and HOA restrictions on the construction and use of accessory dwelling units, sometimes known as Mother-in-Law suites.

“Our hope is that the passing of [Bill 1352] will support the expansion and diversification of housing stock options,” said Jessica Cargile, president of the North Idaho Building Contractors Association. “This is going to enable some alternative options for housing that will hopefully help with the pricing issue, which will allow more people to participate in home ownership opportunities.” 

Recent census statistics show that post-pandemic Idaho remains a highly sought-after place to live. Coeur d’Alene reports population growth rates that exceed the statewide average of 1.4%. The Coeur d’Alene Metropolitan Statistical Area is in the top 50 in the country for one-year population growth in 2025.

“Kootenai County has been discovered,” said Maggie Lyons, the executive director of the Panhandle Affordable Housing Alliance. “We cannot stop growth, but we can manage it. The best way to manage this is to ensure starter homes are available for our workforce. This bill [1352] is a solid step in the right direction to begin building starter homes again.”

According to a University of Idaho study in 2023, only 20% of Kootenai County’s population can afford to buy a home. The same study reported that the median housing price in Kootenai County rose 139% from 2016 to 2023.

“Home ownership is one of the most important tools that an individual or family has to build their personal financial structure,” said Cargile, “The more homeowners you have in a community, the healthier economy you’re going to have and the more financial stability families will have.”