Healthcare Anchor Network (HAN) member Saint Alphonsus Health System, a member of Trinity Health, met with Idaho and Oregon Congress members for the HAN Housing for Health Policy Day 2020 and were successful in gaining support for the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), particularly by focusing on the program’s positive impact on overlooked rural communities.
At the state level, the health system advocated successfully to use $15 million of state CARES Act funds for rental and utility assistance to prevent future homelessness in Idaho. The institution also contributed to the successful enactment of the Idaho Fair Warning Act to require landlords to give 30 days notice before raising rent or evicting a tenant. At the municipal level, the health system supported the enactment of a $40 cap on rental application fees in Boise, Idaho (landlords had previously charged over $200).