Rental Fee Assistance Helps Weiser Locals Secure Housing

When you think about the housing crisis facing the rural Mountain West, what comes to mind? The cost of housing? The need to build more houses? Short-term rentals? All three are issues that communities across the region have debated, but in Weiser one problem has stood out more than any other: fees. Residents and local groups have pointed to the initial fees renters must pay, such as application fees, deposits, and utility startup costs, as the primary barrier keeping many people from finding safe, secure housing. One staff member with Western Idaho Community Action Partnership wanted to launch a program that would help Weiser locals with the high costs of finding and securing housing. In need of support, she reached out to LOR. LOR’s funding will help Western Idaho Community Action Partnership cover the rental fees and other initial expenses for 20-25 households, providing a path to stable housing for Weiser residents living paycheck to paycheck.