by Logan Finney, Idaho Reports

A floor debate Monday in the Idaho House of Representatives highlighted the ideological divide between Republicans and Democrats on how the government should address unaffordable rental prices.

Rep. Brandon Mitchell, R-Moscow, presented House Bill 545. The bill would prevent local governments in Idaho from mandating that private property owners participate in federal housing assistance programs.

The legislation would amend Idaho’s existing law prohibiting local rent control ordinances. It also would reportedly preempt a recently-enacted Boise ordinance that forbids landlords from disqualifying prospective tenants based on their source of income, such as a federal Section 8 housing voucher.

Mitchell said that these types of local regulations can actually make it more expensive for property developers who are trying to build affordable housing projects.

“Capping the rent prices actually devalues the property, so it isn’t good for the property owners themselves,” Mitchell said. “With our ever-growing state, we need to have as many properties in the state as we can, and that’s what brings prices down for affordable housing.”

Democratic lawmakers argued that local governments are simply trying to protect the residential tenants in their jurisdictions.

“The city officials that are making these decisions are elected… The people in that community are perfectly able to show up at city hall, speak against the ordinances, vote the city council officials out of office if they don’t like them,” said Minority Leader Ilana Rubel, D-Boise. “I just don’t think it is the job of this legislature to come in and override local government every time they do something that this body doesn’t like. They are the closest to the people. They are within their rights to do this.”

Other Democrats worried the bill would have further-reaching consequences than the sponsor intended.

“In an effort to protect property owners, as the sponsor indicated, this bill removes every single consumer protection against unscrupulous landlords who will abuse the fees that they charge,” said Rep. Steve Berch, D-Boise. “We need to strike a balance between not just what’s right for the property owner, but what also is right for the consumer.”

In closing debate, Mitchell pointed to another section of state law that requires “reasonable” fees for residential tenants. He also said that cities like New York have ended up with property owners keeping their rental units vacant because the legally mandated rent will not cover the cost of keeping up the unit.

“When we put these kind of controls in place that this is trying to prevent, it actually brings supply down and raises the demand, which raises your costs,” Mitchell said.

HB 545 passed the House on a party line vote. It must also pass the Senate and the governor’s desk to become law.

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