A Tale of Two Cities: Fleeing Portland for Boise

Meanwhile, Dionne’s husband, Brad, a deputy of 11 years with the Washington County Sheriff’s Department, watched fellow police officers in neighboring Multnomah County stand toe-to-toe with protesters and rioters. Witnessing politicians and the public turn on police officers in Portland, he realized the seriousness of the situation. He made the difficult decision to quit his job with the sheriff’s department after watching the poor treatment of Portland police officers and seeing crime skyrocket. Brad said he felt it was important to move his family to a safer city. “Portland is filthy and unsafe even during the day,” he said. “Boise’s leaders believe in law and order, which keeps the city safe. Unlike Oregon, which recently legalized all drugs, marijuana is illegal and violence is intolerable in Boise.”

As Portland crime skyrockets, Boise crime has decreased 9 percent, according to Boise Police who credit, in part, the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The department adds, “The overall decline over the last few decades is also related to BPD’s growing community policing efforts.” Boise PD’s 2020 annual report to the community reveals the department responded to 151,897 calls for service—that is 1,061 fewer than the previous year.

Homelessness has not proven as significant a problem in Boise as in Portland to this point. According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, the entire state of Idaho had an estimated 2,315 people experiencing homelessness as of January 2019. This number stands in sharp contrast to the 4,177 homeless in the city of Portland alone as reported in May 2019. However, as Treasure Valley attracts new residents from along the west coast, rates of homelessness increase, as well. An NPR article notes that “Like many western cities, Boise is in the midst of an extraordinary affordable housing shortage. It’s also one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation, a source of tension in some corners.”

A potential silver lining to the threatening homeless problem is found in a burgeoning job market. In fact, Idaho took the No. 1 spot for its economic growth according to the 2021 U.S. News Best States rankings, also coming in strong for its business environment, growth, and employment. The article cites Bill Connors of the Boise Metro Chamber who stated, “Our state government is stable. It’s not doing wild shifts politically.… Yes, it’s conservative and business-friendly, but it’s stable.”

Boise’s elected officials would be wise to learn from Portland’s mistakes in dealing with the now-uncontrollable homeless problem, establishing solutions early on that will curtail sprawling camps that spill into residential neighborhoods and onto city streets.