By Jodi Peterson-Stigers
After years of tireless work, countless community conversations, and a deep commitment to serving our most vulnerable neighbors with care and dignity, Interfaith Sanctuary is overjoyed to share that the Boise Planning & Zoning Commission has unanimously approved our Conditional Use Permit (CUP) for our new State Street Shelter Home.
A Conditional Use Permit, or CUP, is the city’s way of making sure certain projects fit well in their neighborhoods. Now that our CUP is approved, we have permission to move forward — to finish building, open our new doors, and welcome people inside to a safe, stable place where they can rest, heal, and get back on their feet.
This hard-won decision is a testament to what’s possible when our community comes together, not just to shelter people, but to build real pathways toward stability, health, and belonging for everyone.
Over the past year, we welcomed neighbors, city staff, first responders, and community partners inside our plans, literally and figuratively. We opened our doors, shared our vision, listened to concerns, and strengthened our design and operations plan at every turn. The result is a reimagined shelter home that minimizes neighborhood impact while maximizing safety, healing, and opportunity for our guests.
This CUP approval means so much more than permission to build, it means Boise is choosing compassion, thoughtful solutions, and community-driven progress.
We know the work doesn’t end here. In many ways, it’s just beginning. Over the coming months, we’ll continue building, fundraising, and preparing to open our doors, not just to people who need a safe place to sleep, but to families, seniors, single adults, and medically fragile neighbors who need a place to belong, day and night.
We’re deeply grateful to every neighbor, volunteer, faith leader, advocate, city staff member, and commissioner who took time to learn, ask questions, share feedback, and stand with us in this vision for a stronger, more caring Boise.
To everyone who sent in a comment, testified at the hearing, or simply held this dream in their hearts, thank you. This is your win, too.
We also want to take a moment to thank someone who has stood by our side through every twist and turn of this journey: our pro bono lawyer, Geoffrey Wardle of Clark/Wardel. Geoffrey has given countless hours of his time, expertise, and care to help guide this project forward. His passionate words, clear explanations, and deep belief in what this shelter means for our guests have made all the difference. He has been more than an attorney, he’s been a true champion for our mission and for every person who will find safety and hope inside these new walls. We are so grateful for him.
Together, we’ve opened a door to hope and stability for so many. Now, we invite you to keep that door open by becoming part of The Frontline, our community of supporters who make this possible.
Learn more about the Frontline at our website: interfaithsanctuary.org
Thank you, Boise. Let’s keep building hope, together.