REALTORS® Announce $250,000 Gift to LEAP Housing Trust to Fund New Affordable Homes and Rentals

LEAP Housing, a Boise-based nonprofit that creates affordable housing, has agreed to receive a $250,000 donation from the Boise Regional REALTORS® Community Foundation, to be gifted over the next few years. The Foundation is the charitable arm of Boise Regional REALTORS® (BRR), the local trade association for real estate professionals. BRR is providing the funding for this gift with support from Intermountain MLS (IMLS), another BRR subsidiary.

This news was announced at BRR’s Elmore County Housing Summit on July 19th, which highlighted LEAP Housing’s proposed affordable housing development in Mountain Home, called Falcon’s Landing. This Elmore County site would be the largest affordable multi-family project in Mountain Home in over two decades and will include both affordable rental and homeownership.

“In our work with prospective homebuyers, REALTORS® are keenly aware of the lack of affordable housing available throughout our region,” said Gary Salisbury, 2021 President of the REALTORS® Community Foundation. “While we have provided nearly $1.7 million in grants to various nonprofits since 1995, this will be our first significant gift to one organization.”

Jeff Wills, 2021 President of Boise Regional REALTORS®, said “LEAP’s Housing Trust was chosen for this gift not only because of what they build, but by doing so, they provide more options to help people achieve the dream of homeownership.”

The REALTORS® gift will also support the development of the Taft Street Homes in Boise. This project is LEAP’s first community through a public-private partnership opportunity utilizing church-owned land (Collister United Methodist Church) to create essential, affordable housing. The community will feature rental units with 3-4 bedrooms, 2 baths, fenced backyards and a garage, plus on-site recreation, raised garden beds for growing fresh produce, and a landscape design focused on native and drought tolerant plants for green space.

In the following years, the REALTORS® gift is planned to go towards a project in Gem County. LEAP has identified a site and is currently in the very early stages of feasibility review. LEAP is searching for landowners and development partners in the area to undergo the creation of affordable housing for the residents of Gem Country. Any project in Gem County will begin in 2023 at the earliest.

“We have navigated the housing crisis by partnering with groups across multiple sectors; municipalities, health providers, religious organizations, and now real estate,” said Founder and CEO of LEAP Housing, Bart Cochran. “The support of our real estate community is essential if we are going to identify available land and provide innovative solutions to combat the affordable housing crisis we see today in the Boise Metro Area.”

LEAP continues to search for partnerships with land owning entities like churches and private individuals to build upon previous successful developments like Windy Court and Caritas Commons. Licensed real estate agents throughout Idaho are encouraged to contact LEAP with available land opportunities and partnerships.

LEAP Housing is a Boise-based nonprofit working to develop and preserve affordable housing while providing supportive services that lead to greater housing stability in Idaho. To learn more about LEAP Housing, visit leaphousing.org, or contact LEAP at info@leaphousing.org or 208-391-2823.

Boise Regional REALTORS® (BRR) is the largest local REALTOR® association in Idaho, serving thousands of real estate professionals. BRR helps members succeed in real estate by providing resources in business ethics and professionalism, while also fostering industry and community connections. The REALTORS® Community Foundation seeks to improve the quality of life throughout Ada, Elmore, and Gem counties, through housing-related projects and grants. The association incorporated the Foundation in 1995 as a 501(c)(3) organization. Learn more about BRR and the Foundation at boirealtors.com, or contact Pete Clark, Director of Communications for Boise Regional REALTORS®.

Intermountain Multiple Listing Service (IMLS) promotes and enhances a cooperative real estate marketplace by focusing on data, training, and tools for real estate professionals throughout Idaho. Learn more at intermountainmls.com, or contact Nichol Lapierre, Marketing and Communications Manager for IMLS.