Neighborhood Housing Services (previously, Boise Neighborhood Housing) a non-profit organization that works with at-risk families was one of the first organizations to recognize the need for affordable housing in Boise. Our team was challenged to design a subsidized housing project that was sensitive to a family’s needs, which fit into the context and scale of the neighborhood as well as creating a housing model for Neighborhood Housing Services.
The site was a full city block with wonderful mature tress located in a modest neighborhood of single-family dwellings. Designed similar to ‘brownstones’ with front doors, forty-one affordable housing units, a mix of one, two, and three bedrooms was built around a central courtyard. The courtyard provides a protected children’s play area and a meeting area of the community center.
The development at first raised concerns by the local residents but is now considered a welcome neighbor that has raised property values. Davis Park Apartments received the American Institute of Architects Citation Award and a Boise City Design Review Award.
Design Team: Elizabeth Young, Steve Trout