University of Idaho tackles student housing crisis with major renovations

The University of Idaho is addressing its ongoing student housing crisis with a significant development project.

The university is spending $160 million for development and renovations to increase on-campus housing capacity.

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The initiative began after the university faced higher-than-expected enrollment in the fall of 2022, leading to a shortage of dorm rooms.

As a result, 77 students were temporarily housed at the FairBridge Inn.

The University of Idaho changed its housing policy to prioritize incoming freshmen, leaving upperclassmen on a waiting list for on-campus housing.

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Elordi shared that the plan is to eventually bring these students back to campus. "We expect to have students living there for 2-3 years because this is a 2-3 year project that we’re doing, so as we move through the project, we’re going to have more capacity on campus, and we’ll start moving those students back," Elordi stated.

The current development project, valued at $135 million, aims to house graduate students and includes renovations at two dorms.

Erik Elordi, Executive Director of Campus Services, highlighted the university's growth.

"President Green likes to say we’re a university on the rise and you’re seeing that all over in the success that we’re having whether that be enrollment, students living on campus, our athletics doing a really outstanding job and getting into the national spotlight, and so we are on the radar for a lot of students in a way that we haven’t been in the past," said Elordi.

The renovations will convert some single rooms into double rooms, boosting capacity by 200 students.

The university has seen a 4% increase in spring enrollment and a 6% rise in students living on campus compared to last year, Elordi added.

The new development will cater to graduate and law students, who previously lived off-campus due to a lack of suitable housing.

The project will feature traditional apartment-style housing with one and two-bedroom units, a common feature among University of Idaho's competitors in the Big Sky Conference.

"It’s a really important recruiting mechanism for those students to have an option that’s right on campus," Elordi emphasized.

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Despite the housing challenges, the university's reputation continues to attract prospective students.

Elordi noted, "Students are seeing the University of Idaho, seeing that they come here, have a top-notch experience -- all of the extracurricular activities whether that be with athletics, within our residence halls, fraternity, and sorority life, and that they’re going to get a top-notch education on top of all of those as well."

The University of Idaho plans to involve students in the interior design of the renovated dorms.

The entire project is expected to be completed by 2026.

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