Figuring out housing policy
Daily digest 7/7/26
Last night, the city of Moscow updated its building code with more precise definitions, intending to close some loopholes regarding the differences between apartments and duplexes. Proponents say these changes were necessary to ensure tenant safety, while critics worry they will stifle the housing market even further.
I jokingly asked on X if it would be easier to build houses at this point in Moscow, Russia, than Moscow, Idaho.
This is part of a much larger debate regarding zoning policies, building regulations, and housing affordability. I wrote about that debate today:
It reminds me of the old Mitch Hedberg joke:
I bought a house, it’s a two bedroom house, but I think it’s up to me to decide how many bedrooms there are. This bedroom has an oven in it. This bedroom has a lot of people sitting around watching TV. This bedroom is over in that other guy’s house.
To be serious, however, this decision in Moscow is only the latest move in a larger debate over where to draw the line on zoning and housing regulation. During this year’s legislative session alone, lawmakers passed four bills meant to curtail the ability of city councils to impose certain housing restrictions:
House Bill 583 restricts regulations on short-term rentals such as Airbnbs.
House Bill 800 restricts regulations on manufactured homes.
Senate Bill 1352 requires cities to allow starter home subdivisions.
Senate Bill 1354 prohibits regulations against accessory dwelling units.
Debate over these bills crossed partisan and ideological lines. Many moderate Republicans, as well as some right-wing conservatives, voted against some or all of them. Yet they were sponsored by two of the Legislature’s most conservative members, Rep. Jordan Redman and Sen. Ben Toews, both of Coeur d’Alene. The debate exposed a divide within conservatism between those who believe private property rights are paramount and those who believe local governments have a responsibility to maintain a certain threshold of safety and stability in their communities.
The line between those two positions is not obvious. Private property rights are an integral part of the Western political tradition, as expressed in John Locke’s formulation of “life, liberty, and property.” Yet living in a community alongside our fellow citizens entails certain tradeoffs. Fire codes exist not only for your own protection, but also for your neighbors—a fire that starts in one house or apartment can easily spread to others. Plumbing codes help ensure that sewage is properly disposed of rather than becoming a public health hazard. Many early regulations in American cities were adopted in response to unsanitary and unsafe conditions that allowed disease to spread rapidly. After all, prospective tenants often lack the expertise to know whether wiring is safe or ventilation is adequate, so government has established certain minimum standards that homes and apartments must meet.
I could have written three times as much as I did, so keep that in mind if you believe I missed some aspect of this discussion. Feel free to send me a letter to the editor with your thoughts—in many ways, this conversation is just getting started. Idaho’s record growth does not appear to be slowing anytime soon, especially as blue states such as Washington and California appear intent on committing civic suicide.
Click the button to read the entire article then let me know what you think!
Guess who’s back?
Rep. David Leavitt, who fell short in his reelection bid in this year’s primary, has announced he is taking over as publisher of the Idaho Dispatch:
A press that doesn’t challenge power isn’t a free press. It’s a managed one. Franklin saw that in 1729. Idahoans are living it today.
The Idaho Dispatch will focus on local and state politics. These are the stories that actually affect your life and your community. I’m actively looking for guest contributors willing to cover what is happening in their own backyards: city council meetings, county commissioner decisions, school board votes. The things that matter and the things that too often go uncovered.
Idahoans are hungry for honest, conservative news coverage. I intend to provide it.
This is great news. The Idaho Dispatch was long a go-to source for statewide news from a conservative perspective. Greg Pruett did some excellent investigative journalism back in the day, and I always saw the Dispatch and the Chronicle as complementing each other. I still rely on outlets like Idaho Capital Sun and Idaho Ed News for on-the-ground reporting in my analysis, so having the Dispatch back covering statewide issues is a welcome development.
Video of the day
Bryan Hyde covered the fallout from Little v. Hecox on his show today:
As always, thank you to sponsors Lynn Bradescu’s Boise Realty, Money Metals, and New Saint Andrews College. Thank you also to all the paid subscribers who make it possible for me to do what I do, as well as all the readers who are constantly encouraging me to keep it up. I appreciate you!