Comments on: Downtowners Fight 8th Street Project

By: Developer X

Developer X — Tue, 11 Apr 2006 19:25:11 +0000

Despite the obvious design issues and parking limitations, the FACT is nearly 60 of Howell’s units would be Sec 42 affordable housing. To rent those you must earn less than 60% of the area median income, and the rents on those units are set by governing agencies. For each affordable unit, the developer receives a tax credit from the Feds. This allows the developer to make up for renting those units at below market rate (based on actual surveys). Without programs such as Sec.42, only the rich could afford to live downtown because land and construction ARE much more expensive there. It’s just too bad there aren’t programs in place to create affordable FOR-SALE housing.

PS: All your conspiracy theories are hilarious. And for the guy who thinks his parking should be free… take ECON 101. There is no such thing as a free lunch, nor free garages.

By: Inside

Inside — Wed, 11 Jan 2006 19:09:52 +0000

Good comments Joe….As someone “inside” the City I can tell you that the “cahoots” is both clear and planned (but will never be admitted to) with the City Council and the Planning staff, DBA and the developers. Just look at how many plans have NOT been approved – 0!

With current and former City Council members on the CCDC and the DBA as a contributor to the Council members campaigns the “cahoots” should be very clear.

The strategy is to pack the downtown with as many condos as possible to maximize tax revenue and “save” a “dying” downtown and FORCE somekind of MASS TRANSIT. Why they think this is the solution to all solutions is way beyond many of us.

Everyone seems to like to use these terms as justification of any project. If you look VERY closely at the “Market research” that has been done the surveys have been very bias at best – to produce a specific outcome. Maximizing tax revenue also solves a lot of problems when you cannot control spending more and more money on city programs.

In 10 years (or less) – after buildings look into other buildings across the street and our leaders learn that all the construction has still NOT saved downtown then MAYBE the negative impacts will be realized – but they will then be blamed on someone else or the “people of Boise” for not acting like the City leadership “knew they would”.

Prices will drop, empty unit counts will increase and “subsidization” will start and increase. Happens in almost every “urban” enviornment that public officials try to manipulate. Then the problems are 10 times more difficult to solve.

By: Joe Moran

Joe Moran — Mon, 09 Jan 2006 19:26:05 +0000

and so the real estate developer stink goes on! they want to turn our beautiful downtown area into a parking lot!
It seems the Downtown Boise Association and CCDC are in cahoots with the would be developer of this eyesore. There are clear conflicts of interest here in that all pro-developtment parties are refusing to take a realistic view of the consequenses of this building while looking only at their financial gain.

By: TJ

TJ — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 23:19:23 +0000

Hi-rise “affordable housing?” I really don’t think the Boise area is ready for that. Is this supposed to appeal to people with children and pets? Is it supposed to attract people who get housing vouchers, i.e. low income? Where would these folks shop for groceries? Would the kids be playing frisbee on 8th Street?

I have been low income with kids, some years ago, but I would never have thought of living downtown with no yard for the dog, or a garage for the junk I want to hang on to, or for the kids’ bicycles.

Who exactly is the target population for this sort of development? Sounds like someone has his hand out for federal or state money, big time. (Is the number of crooks growing at an increasing rate, or does it just seem like it.?) This idea is just stupid, in my opinion.

By: BoiseCitzen

BoiseCitzen — Sat, 07 Jan 2006 12:59:04 +0000

So, 100 N. 8th,hmmmmm. Is that the address of the Boise HOLE? Wouldn’t it be nice to get that dang thing filled up with something? Just wondering. More infill I guess.

Ed note–It is atop the parking garage across 8th from the hole.

By: Porcupine

Porcupine — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 23:27:34 +0000

I think Haha is new. Ed note--Check out his exchange with TAM on Nush Leaguer story comments 3,4, and 8. https://boiseguardian.com/2005/12/29/bush_leaguers_in_national_spotlight.html

By: KevinK.

KevinK. — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 20:57:46 +0000

“Affordable housing”???……Those looking for “affordable housing” don’t use “Moving vans”, they use pick-up trucks!

By: Tam

Tam — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 20:52:58 +0000

Maybe she could have used it as a creche for her plastic nativity.

By: haha

haha — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 20:01:54 +0000

Yeah, right. What the heck would Brandi have known about land use? She probably would have used the space to erect some monstrous 10 Commandments monument.

By: Porcupine

Porcupine — Fri, 06 Jan 2006 18:24:48 +0000

My My…. If we just would have gotten Brandi elected all of this wouldn’t have happened!