As the population in southern Idaho grows and the preferences of the maturing baby boomer change, higher density housing options are emerging more and more into the spotlight. The Community Planning Association of Southern Idaho (commonly known as COMPASS) seeks to understand the area’s concerns and ideals regarding housing choices with an online survey. COMPASS’s regional transportation plan, Communities in Motion, examines the projected growth of Ada, Canyon, Elmore, Boise, Gem and Payette counties and the resulting transportation needs. In order to meet those needs, the plan calls for a more compact grid pattern – and that leads to denser housing.
“A lot of people have concerns that density leads to poor design, poor architecture and poor neighborhoods overall,” COMPASS’s Carl Miller said. “We want to find out if some of those concerns were density related or design related, and we want to find out what people are looking for in their communities.”
The survey presents pictures of different types of housing and asks the participant to rate how desirable each structure is for his household and his neighborhood. It addresses design, density, location and other elements. The survey will be available until June 27, and COMPASS will host a post-survey focus group in July to delve deeper into the community’s motivations for housing choices.
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