Boise staff propose one application, benchmarks and new funding options to ease rising utility bills

Boise City staff told the mayor and council that they are working with local utilities and service partners to streamline access to assistance programs, create a common affordability benchmark and pursue funding options to reduce rising household utility burdens.

Steve Burgos of the Public Works Department, who led the briefing, said the city convened representatives from the utilities that Boiseans pay for — water (Veolia), electric (Idaho Power), natural gas (Intermountain Gas) and solid-waste services (Republic) — and produced a draft report with preliminary findings and action items. "What you're looking at ... total is about $283 a month for the five major utilities," Burgos said, presenting a 2025 snapshot of average residential bills.

Why it matters: Burgos emphasized that median-based measures can hide strains on lower-income households. Using common federal measures for water and wastewater (2% of median household income), Boise would appear affordable at the median, but Burgos said households in lower income brackets can pay "upwards of 6%" of income for water renewal services. As a result, the city's proposed work focuses on reducing burdens for those low-income buckets.

Burgos outlined the definitions and metrics the city is weighing, including federal 2% metrics and "hours at minimum wage" calculations, and said staff aim to settle on a consistent benchmark so future changes in affordability can be measured. He described existing local programs administered through a community clearinghouse referenced in the briefing (identified in the transcript as LAEDA/LAEDC): a $100 annual emergency assistance credit funded by customer bill round-ups, a hardship discount that can reduce a household's monthly bill by as much as 30% for qualifying low-income residents (renewed annually), payment-plan options, leak-bill adjustments and weatherization and efficiency programs.

On housing: Burgos told the council that unpaid utility arrears can prolong homelessness by blocking utilities needed to move into housing. He cited data provided to staff showing the time from assessment to lease-up has risen from about 60 days to roughly "164 days," and said unpaid utility bills are a contributing factor in delayed housing placements.

Program results and constraints: Staff presented participation increases for the assistance fund and hardship discounts and said weatherization has produced direct household savings estimated at $300 to $1,000 per household annually, with larger lifecycle benefits over decades. Burgos said repayment rates for small emergency loans are high: "once somebody can get into housing and get established, they get that repayment rate is over 98% for loans between $100 and $1,500." He also noted continuing constraints: limited contractor capacity is a major driver of weatherization wait lists, and many assistance programs remain siloed with separate applications.

What staff propose: The draft report's central recommendations include a coordinated multi-utility governance structure, a single clearinghouse application to screen households for multiple programs, a utility-burden benchmark to track progress, targeted outreach modeled on successful campaigns (citing San Antonio's community outreach), engagement with the Public Utilities Commission and exploration of regulatory tools such as "integrated planning" under the Clean Water Act to seek compliance flexibility tied to affordability goals. Burgos said staff are also considering sustainable funding options — a small fee across bills, public-private seed funding, or expanded customer donation/round-up programs — and will continue refining the report.

Council questions and staff responses: Council members welcomed the single-application idea and asked detailed follow-ups. Ben Merrick asked whether the weatherization wait list was due to funding or administrative capacity; Burgos said the limiting factor is the availability of skilled contractors and contracting capacity. Council President Stedman asked whether elevated utility costs are being passed to renters and whether state or PUC rules limit affordability strategies; Burgos said city staff have limited data on pass-through to renters and noted cost-of-service rules at the PUC can constrain program design, and that legal staff are reviewing statutory limits. Councilmember Corrales asked about utility deposit burdens for residents and whether programs might address deposits; Burgos said deposits are part of the ongoing discussion.

No formal votes were taken during the work session. Burgos said the draft report is still being finalized and staff expect to return with updates as they pursue benchmarks, outreach, coordination and potential funding mechanisms. "We're already working a lot of those issues," he said. The council recessed until 6:00 p.m.