Idaho Tenant Advocacy Groups Help Renters Navigate Evictions and Legal Disputes
For many Treasure Valley renters already stretched thin by high housing costs, a dispute with a landlord can quickly become overwhelming — especially when legal representation is involved. Two Idaho organizations, Idaho Legal Aid and Jesse Tree, are working to close that gap by providing low-income tenants with the legal knowledge and resources they need to protect themselves in the courtroom and beyond.
A Growing Crisis for Treasure Valley Renters
Housing affordability has become one of the defining challenges facing Ada County and Canyon County residents. Wages across the region have not kept pace with rising rental costs, and the consequences are playing out in eviction courts across the Treasure Valley.
According to data compiled by Jesse Tree, more than 1,300 eviction filings were recorded in Ada County in 2025 alone, with roughly 700 additional filings in neighboring Canyon County. Boise and Meridian together accounted for approximately 85% of Ada County’s eviction filings last year. Perhaps more striking is the trajectory in Canyon County, where eviction filings have more than tripled since 2020, including a 10% jump between 2024 and 2025.
“Roughly 60% of all eviction filings in Idaho are between Ada and Canyon counties,” said Evan Stewart, executive director of Jesse Tree. “And 90% or more are because someone has fallen behind on rent due to a life situation.”
Jesse Tree fields between 2,000 and 3,000 phone calls per month from renters worried about covering rent or seeking resources. At any given time, the nonprofit is actively assisting more than 100 households.
The Legal Process Behind Every Eviction
Idaho law requires that all evictions go through a judicial process. A landlord cannot unilaterally remove a tenant for nonpayment or other disputes — a court must be involved.
“All evictions need courts in the state of Idaho,” said Drew Dickerson, litigation director for Idaho Legal Aid. “It’s really a judicial process.”
Idaho Legal Aid, which provides legal representation and advocacy for low-income Idahoans, handled 1,136 housing-related cases last year. Those cases span landlord-tenant disputes, housing discrimination, subsidized housing issues, and predatory loan practices.
The challenge, Dickerson noted, is that the power dynamic in eviction proceedings heavily favors landlords. Property owners are typically represented by attorneys familiar with the court system, while tenants frequently show up without any legal representation.
“Landlords are typically represented by attorneys who know the law and the court system,” Dickerson said. “Tenants, though, are far less likely to be represented in court. There is a bit of a power imbalance that goes along with that.”
A Changing Rental Landscape
Both Dickerson and Stewart noted that Idaho’s eviction process was originally designed with smaller, independent landlords in mind. But as the Treasure Valley has grown rapidly, large-scale property management companies have increasingly entered the local market — bringing with them more formalized, and often more aggressive, legal approaches to tenant disputes.
Stewart estimates that 50% of Treasure Valley renters qualify as “cost burdened,” meaning more than 30% of their income goes toward rent each month. Many of those renters are living paycheck to paycheck, and for them, hiring a private attorney to fight an eviction is simply not an option.
“A lot of what we see is many people living paycheck to paycheck,” Stewart said.
While Jesse Tree is not a legal organization, its staff are trained to recognize when illegal conduct may be occurring during a rental dispute and to refer those cases to Idaho Legal Aid. The two organizations operate as close community partners, often handling overlapping cases.
Impact on Ada County Residents
The average household served by Idaho Legal Aid in eviction-related matters includes approximately three individuals sharing a residence, reflecting the reality that evictions affect entire families — not just individual renters. For many Ada County households, a single missed paycheck or unexpected expense can set off a chain of events that ends in court.
For families navigating the broader challenges of housing in the region, local civic engagement remains important. Boise State University’s ongoing community outreach efforts, including the Bronco Welcome program, which is currently seeking volunteers and program submissions, reflect the broader effort by Treasure Valley institutions to support residents in need.
What Comes Next
Residents in Ada County or Canyon County who are facing eviction notices or rental disputes are encouraged to contact Idaho Legal Aid directly to determine whether they qualify for free or reduced-cost legal assistance. Jesse Tree also accepts calls from renters seeking resources or guidance before a dispute escalates to court. With eviction filings continuing to rise across the valley, both organizations say early intervention — before a case reaches a judge — gives tenants the best chance at a stable outcome.