On Friday, the Idaho Senate passed a bill to ban public camping or sleeping on city streets or in cars. Also last week, a Senate committee began discussion on another bill that would limit where new homeless shelters could be built.
Both of these bills would have a direct impact on Interfaith Sanctuary. That’s the Boise shelter which is trying to move from downtown to State Street and expand its operations so it can help more people who are facing homelessness.
The construction at the new site is on hold after the Idaho Supreme Court said there were problems with how the City of Boise approved the permit for the building. That has left the future shelter in limbo while the City contemplates changing its permitting rules that would allow Interfaith another chance at getting a permit.
Jodi Peterson is the Executive Director of the Interfaith Sanctuary Shelter and she’s been riding a roller coaster of events over the past two months. She joins Idaho Matters for an update on the two bills, what they would mean for her clients, and on the future of Interfaith.
