Buzz About Boise: May 2020

As we continue to keep a close eye on how COVID-19 impacts our valley's real estate market, we're also consistently monitoring various news stories that highlight changes and happenings in our local area. Here's our monthly high-level recap of many of those stories. Intended for life-long Boiseans, newcomers, potential re-locators, and out-of-state investors alike - there is something for everyone.  

The 100 Best And 10 Worst Cities For A Staycation This Summer
Source: Forbes

While the vast majority of us are still scratching our heads wondering what kind of travel plans will even be possible this summer, here’s a list of cities noted for being top-notch “staycation” spots. Unsurprisingly, Boise not only made the list but was noted as being in the top 3 BEST cities (number 2 to be exact). With a high recreation ranking and rest and relaxation rating, Boise is indeed a great place to be staycation’ing in! Read the full article here for more details and to see which other cities made the list (heads up: another local town also made the list).

Cities In The U.S. With The Most Employment Opportunities
Source: TheTravel.com

While the United States remains one of the most powerful and wealthy countries, it's no surprise that some of our country's cities have more employment opportunities than others. This article identifies our nation's top 12 cities (based on economic opportunities). To do this, they examined a number of factors, including population growth and the unemployment rate. And Boise made the list! The author emphasized that people looking to work in either education or health services will likely find some great opportunities in our booming area. For more details, read the full article here.

Treasure Valley Commercial Project Tracker
Source: BoiseDev

The team at BoiseDev has teamed up with Tok, the full-service commercial property agency that offers commercial property services for listing, leasing, and property management services to build this interesting project tracker to build project tracker. It’s a great visual representation of the various commercial projects that are actively occurring across the Treasure Valley. Check it out here.

Ranked: The 10 US Cities Best Positioned To Recover From Coronavirus (And The 10 Worst)
Source: Forbes

COVID-19 has impacted cities across the globe with varying force. And this is certainly true for cities across the United States. This article outlines which cities are poised to have the best recovery - and which will likely struggle. Adam Kamins, senior regional economist at Moody’s Analytics, is quoted as saying “The most dynamic recoveries may well bypass traditional powerhouses and take place instead in areas that either were or were poised to lead the way in 2020 before everything changed.” And Boise is noted as being among the top 10 cities best-positioned to recover. For all the details, read the full article here. 

Boise Mayor Announces Affordable Housing Project: Boise's Central Bench
Source: KTVB

Boise Mayor Lauren McLean recently announced that the city is moving forward with an affordable housing development at the southwest corner of Franklin Road and Orchard Street. The project is said to feature a variety of housing types for a range of household incomes, and is intended to grow with the neighborhood into a community activity center. Mayor McLean is quoted as saying "Everyone deserves a home. And we're going to do everything we can to ensure that there's a place to live for every resident, at every budget." For all the full article here - or to hear how the neighborhood association is responding  click here.

Boise or Bozeman Bound? Redfin CEO Predicts Big Shift to Smaller Cties as Remote Work Takes Hold
Source: GeekWire

The Coronavirus pandemic has forced a large number of companies to embrace remote work options, and now some are predicting that this change will cause a “seismic demographic shift toward smaller cities” (especially for those in the tech field). Redfin CEO Glenn Kelman is quoted as saying “More people will leave San Francisco, New York and even Seattle, some for nearby towns like Sacramento and Tacoma that are close enough to support a weekly office visit, others for a completely remote life in Charleston, Boise, Bozeman or Madison.” Read the  full article here for all the details.

Larger still: Huge New Mural Takes Shape on Downtown Boise Building
Source: KIVI TV

A new mural is in the works on Boise's 11-story Key Financial Center building. Artist David Carmack Lewis is quoted as saying “Right now the working title is 'Over The Valley'. It’s sort of a stylized look at the south fork of the Payette.” Fun to learn the story behind it and watch it come together. For more information check out the full article here.  

Boise School District to Continue Grab and Go Meals Through Summer Months
Source: KTVB

The Boise School District recently announced they will continue its grab and go meal program throughout the summer. Social distancing practices will continue to be closely. The locations and details can be viewed here. And (for what it's worth), we've heard rumors that West Ada School District (the largest school district in the state) is considering the same, but we've yet to hear confirmation.

Boise Parks and Recreation Reopens Parks but Limits Programming
Source: KBOIThe summer months are typically the busiest time of the year for recreation programs and sports leagues. But due to the pandemic, hings are a bit different this year. While Boise Parks and Recreation has reopened parks, pools will remain closed throughout the summer and programming will be limited. For more information  click here.  

Seven's Hero: Boise  
Source: KTVBThroughout the past few months, we’ve found comfort in hearing so many stories about how people across our valley are striving to connect and find joy. KTVB’s ‘Sevens Hero’ is a a great “feel good” resource - check it out for the following stories (and many more): 

• Wait, is that a CAMEL? In Meridian? Animal Parade Brings Joy and Wonder to Treasure Valley Neighborhoods
• Boise Event Company Brings the Dance Party to Treasure Valley Neighborhoods
• Video of Amazon Delivery Driver Praying at Doorstep in Nampa Touches Hearts Across Idaho

What's Happening In and Around Boise: Calendar of Events
Source: Boise Convention and Visitors  BureauWhile scheduled events have certainly been limited and reformatted to adhere to social distancing guidelines, the wonderful city of Boise is still attempting to plan whatever they safely can. Here is a great calendar that outlines the events that are still planned to occur.