By Jodi Peterson-Stigers
On September 30, Boise City Council voted to uphold the Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for Interfaith Sanctuary’s new Reimagined Shelter Home on State Street, a decisive step that clears the path for construction to continue and opens the door for our unhoused neighbors to have a safe, stable place to call home.
After years of hearings, appeals, neighborhood meetings, and a rollercoaster of emotions, the vote came as both a relief and a celebration. The decision confirms that the project meets the city’s requirements for safety, design, and community benefit, allowing our team to focus on the work that matters most: building a trauma-informed, 24/7 shelter that will welcome families, seniors, single adults, and the medically fragile.
The new 42,500-square-foot campus will replace the current 10,000-square-foot warehouse shelter, offering private rooms for families, an early-education classroom, a medical dorm for hospice and respite care, outdoor play areas, dedicated spaces for adults to gather during the day, and more, all designed to support stability, dignity, and hope.
With the CUP upheld, the finish line is finally in sight. Construction crews are working hard to complete the building so we can welcome guests before the holidays. What once felt like a distant dream is now just weeks away from becoming a reality, a true home where our community’s most vulnerable can find safety, warmth, and support.
Now, the focus turns to filling this new shelter with furniture, warmth, and love. Through our Furnishing Hope campaign, the community can help us bring every space to life, from beds and dressers in the family dorms to cozy chairs in the teen lounge, bookshelves in the library, desks in the classrooms, and welcoming touches in every room.
There are many ways to take part: sponsor a room that speaks to your heart, purchase a single item like a chair or lamp, or join us for a build day to assemble furniture alongside volunteers. Every piece sponsored, every wall painted, and every shelf stocked will transform this building into a home.
With City Council’s vote behind us and the generosity of our village ahead, we are filled with a renewed sense of momentum and hope. Together, we can open the doors by the holidays and create a place where every guest feels safe, welcome, and remembered.
To learn more about furnishing hope visit our website at interfaithsanctuary.org or use this handy QR Code.
