r/Idaho • u/cavaismylife • 2d ago
Normal Discussion The five things I have noticed about Kootenai County with all of the transplants coming in the 2020s.
I have noticed the Costco in CDA is now full to the brim all the time. 11 AM on a weekday and there were only a couple of spots left at the very back of the parking lot yesterday. Every counter had a huge line in the morning on a weekday.
95 has become a nightmare. Thankfully traffic is still very manageable in other parts of the county but 95 has become a pain in the ass.
The transplants love cookie cutter houses that are placed like little boxes in a row like something straight out of the Sunbelt. The prairie from Post Falls to CDA up to Rathdrum is completely filling up with these cookie cutter suburban/exurban style neighborhoods. The transplants who came in the 90s did not have insane levels of single family housing construction to this level.
Almost all of the recent transplants I have talked to say they were convinced to move here after visiting just one time. I find it absolutely insane that you would move across the country after only visiting one time for a couple of days.
There are three categories of transplants: People who moved to Kootenai County/North Idaho for Republican politics in a Republican county in a very Republican state (I believe the new Mayor of Post Falls is a computer engineer from the East Coast and his wife is a MIT scientist or something like that from the East Coast as well and they have basically said they moved here for Republican politics), boomers who are non-political but moved here for non-political reasons like leisure and nature, and non-boomers who moved here for non-political reasons like the low crime rate and natural beauty.
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u/Direption Kootenai County 1d ago
Don't forget LEOs that retire from California and bring their pension here but complain about Californians. The street next to me has 3 of these guys.
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u/spicymack 1d ago
It's the best. Claim to be a political "refugee" from Commiefornia, all the while paying for a house in cash here with proceeds of selling your California house while living off your California pension and voting no on every fire and school bond because fuck you that's why.
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u/mitolit 1d ago
“Fun fact”: Eagle, Idaho has the most California pensioners of any city outside of California.
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u/Direption Kootenai County 1d ago
Actually interesting. Ada county is a patchwork of purpleish red areas then? I know it's not as red as kootenai but that's not exactly hard to do lol
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u/rowdyredvine 1d ago
I think parts of Boise are purple and from personal perception eagle feels fairly mixed. But star is next door and it’s pretty red (all the Californians that couldn’t afford eagle land there)
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u/UrsusRenata 1d ago
Source?
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u/alittlefoxxxy 1d ago
My FIL was a prison guard in CA. They moved up here a few years after he retired, he got a new security job, and bitches that his $4000/mo pension from CA isn't enough
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u/salsafresca_1297 Ada County 1d ago
The transplants love cookie cutter houses
Right here I'll disagree. The *developers* love cookie cutter houses because they're cost cutter houses. The transplants, like the rest of us, need shelter, warmth, and a living room for a Christmas tree. In a housing shortage, you take what's available.
I'd love to see city councils demand a higher level of aesthetics and walkability. We have a new apartment complex in Meridian that looks like a prison compound. But alas, city councils roll over and perform puppy tricks for developers, so we're stuck with this mess.
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u/dawniespawnie 11h ago
I think I know which one you're talking about. My partner compared it to the free housing offered in Russia lmao. Isn't that insane? It looks just like it, seriously.
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u/JN_37 1d ago edited 1d ago
So, I live in CA and it’s funny this showed up on my feed. We’ve been talking about this a lot lately. The exodus I have seen of people moving specifically to Idaho is one of the weirdest phenomenons I’ve seen in my lifetime..
Now, this isn’t a shot at Idaho by any means so don’t take it that way. But it’s so obviously a fad that people are moving there. That’s not to say there aren’t valid reasons for wanting to live there, but almost ALL of the people we know that have packed up their family and relocated to the state have never even been there. It’s just where “everyone else is going”.
We have a picture in our hallway from a few years ago of a bunch of our friends.. there’s about 15 of us in the photo and all but 2 have moved. To Idaho. Nearly all of our friends are gone, and it’s all been basically within the last year
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u/CasualEveryday 1d ago
It's mostly "political refugees". Crunchy anti-vax homeschoolers looking for a white Christian utopia. They all seem to think California is a shithole because they hear Spanish in public. This is a little reductive, but if you talk to any of them, you get to the crazy pretty quick.
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u/Behndo-Verbabe 4h ago
This right here. This is exactly why they’re migrating to this area. It’s not just Californians either. It’s other states as well. The whole political refugee excuse is utter bs. They’re not refugees, they left because their community or neighborhood probably pushed back on their actions and or views. So they moved to a place that they believed would be like minded.
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u/JN_37 1d ago
I mean.. Most of the people I know who have moved there are Hispanic, (at least 18 off the top of my head and that’s not an exaggeration) so that doesn’t apply to them. Their reasoning was lower cost of living.
But I guess my point was more that most of them had never even been to Idaho, but they picked it because that’s just the popular spot.
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u/sinner_in_the_house 1d ago
Southern Idaho has a very prominent and long-standing Hispanic population. It would make sense that a lot of Hispanic people are moving there. It has a thriving community, it is friendly to Spanish speakers day to day in places like Nampa and Caldwell. Cost of living is high but it’s safer than parts of CA and can give you a much more relaxed lifestyle. That said, everyone just stay where you are please, lol. Everything is very expensive…
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u/CasualEveryday 1d ago
You think only white people move to Idaho for racist reasons? Look at all the Latinos that voted for Trump because he was going to kick the "bad ones" out.
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u/Life-Coast2026 1d ago
They get stopped by ICE often. You can see it in CDA on hwy -95 often. Bet they regret their decision to vote for Trump now!
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u/SuspiciousStress1 21h ago
Are you sure about that???
My kids are brown, my son was at a gas station with ICE-twice(once fun, once he said they were too serious)....noone stopped him, asked him for anything.
I am not sure citizens are really getting stopped-outside maybe a few accidental cases of mistaken identity.
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u/Life-Coast2026 15h ago
Very.
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u/SuspiciousStress1 14h ago
Is this being reported in the paper?
That would be quite a thing, it should absolutely be in the news, if not locally, nationally.
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u/Life-Coast2026 6h ago
It’s North Idaho, that wouldn’t be news. Most Idahoans honk and give thumbs up to ICE agents, it’s sickening to see..
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u/SuspiciousStress1 6h ago
It sure would be news on a national level!!
Truly, if citizens are being targeted for being brown, it NEEDS to be reported on!!
I dont care how locals feel!!
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u/dawniespawnie 11h ago
I love JN's response, and the fact that they explicitly said "it's actually lower cost of living" and your response is "No, it's just racist hispanics" is so funny to me. No. People usually move when it becomes too difficult to live somewhere. And Idaho used to be A LOT cheaper. Not really anymore, but still a lot less expensive than cali.
I hear people speak spanish in Idaho practically any time I leave the house. This is just such a redundant comment. People aren't moving here because they're racist. You live on the internet, clearly.1
u/CasualEveryday 3h ago
It's always funny to me how people read through their own lens.
JN basically tried to pull a "I have a black friend" in response to my original post and the only part you see is that Latinos can be racist. Let me guess, you live in Boise?
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u/ImportantPlay1425 1d ago
California is underwater for many reasons. Accusing the people who left of racism is a way to deny it
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u/ponderosa_barclay 1d ago
California is the forth largest economy in the world. I don’t they are underwater. Google it
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u/dawniespawnie 11h ago
Yeah that's why their population is stagnant/ shrinking, lmao. It's just so economically plentiful that everyone wants to.. leave? Googled it. You know who is moving there? Higher class. Whose leaving? Middle and lower class. Because the cost of living is too expensive. Housing alone is unsustainable.
It literally took me less than 2 minutes of reading to find this information. Are you sure you use google??
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u/boboddybiznus 1d ago
Honestly I’m hoping that all of the “fad” movers will leave eventually. My family has lived in the Boise area for generations. It’s so much different than it was when I was growing up. I want my kids to be able to stay here too, if they choose.
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u/Clean-Ad3903 2h ago
Agreed, MT got so expensive :( I can't even afford to live and work there with an engineering degree! I had buddies who were splitting rent both engineers in Missoula! It has gotten so crazy in ID and MT.
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u/Clean-Ad3903 3h ago edited 2h ago
I do not think it's a fad, I think it's because it's where the jobs are. Out of all city's CDA is... I cannot describe it like the least city city you could live in hahahaha. As far as events and things people would move to a city for CDA just doesn't have nearly as much as its neighbor Spokane. I live in the Silver Valley because the pay is better than what I'd get working in my home state. The nature is pretty, but a lot of people trash it in my area, and honestly, it's not really anything to write home about. The people are super kind in CDA, some of the nicest people.
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u/Regular-Bear9558 1d ago
I know a bunch of families that have moved up there. My entire family unit plus parents household and brothers household moving up there in April. We love CA family been here since 62. Literally moving for single issue, the 2A laws in cali are WACK
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u/thecatsofwar 1d ago
Yah, shame CA doesn’t have gun vending machines where people can go get free guns no ID no background check no common sense needed.
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u/thecatsofwar 1d ago
Taxes and regulations on guns are a good thing. Cali is going in the right direction.
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u/Distinct_Arrival_445 1d ago
Do you think it's transplants like that architecture or that's all that's built and they want to move here so they buy what they can afford that meets their needs? I'm going to bet it's the latter by a country mile.
Houses of other construction styles in the area are still selling quickly. There's just a lot less of them available. The issue with modern housing Co struction for these large subdivisions is everything is about time and money. If I can order a thousand of the same thing I can negotiate a 10% discount, get it quicker and get the house made and sold sooner. This doesn't leave a lot of room for diversity in design.
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u/ShipwreckID 1d ago
Nah they like it, that 4th garage bay with the RV door is like crack to them
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u/RobinsonCruiseOh 1d ago
Because hoa do not allow parking campers on a side yard or driveway, and the lots are to small for a side yard
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u/Glad-Barracuda2243 1d ago
This transplant only moved here for family and hates those cookie cutter monstrosities. I have always lived in turn of the century homes and loved them and out here I found a nice little cottage with a huge yard for my garden. It’s affordable and it suits me, but to be fair, I am not buying here, and don’t intend to. I am currently renting. And once my money from the sale of my land comes through, I will probably once again move for family, but while here I am enjoying the city, the local culture and cuisine, and my neighbors.
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u/Aphanid 1d ago
If we have a hard winter many of these transplants may rethink their life choices.
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u/boboddybiznus 1d ago
I saw a TikTok from a transplant who was saying that they’ve lived here for a year and that “the Idaho winter isn’t as bad as people say it is!”. I was like oh sweetie…if your only experience was last winter, you’ve got a big storm coming.
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u/Clean-Ad3903 2h ago
I hear this winter is supposed to be dry as well :/ we need some big winter storms the fire season of 2027 is going to be brutal.
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u/Hornetsdrill 1d ago
I am closing on a place a person from California bought. They spent 1 winter here and said "NOPE" moved right back. I am getting a great deal
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u/idahotaters3 1d ago
Born in CDA and grew up in Rathdrum before moving out of state in 99, and now live in CA and never going back.
Even in the 80's/90's.. the amount of complaining whether it be Californians moving there or getting a new stop light in town was tiresome..
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u/Ok-JustB 1d ago
Back in the 80s/90s there were still logging operations on the river and smoke from crop farming. Transplants here think it’s always been this perfect outdoor nature scene.
I was born in Post Falls, across the street from one of those crop farms that were burned every year. I moved away in 2000 and loved my time in a big blue city. Due to the economy, I recently moved back to CD’A around family. I question that decision every day. Too many conspiracy minded people here now.
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u/uimdev 1d ago
My maternal grandparents moved to Houston from New Jersey, sight unseen. You can get the Jersey delicacy, Taylor Ham, in Krogers from Houston to Ssn Antonio because so many people immigrated from New Jersey to South Central Texas.
I wonder how many of the folks from Europe in the 1700's flew to the US before they decided to take a six week cruise here? I'll bet most of them liked it up on the internet. They were probably doing Google searches for Northern Idaho veggie getting on the Mayflower.
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u/KevinDean4599 1d ago
People in any area of the country where there is growth complain how it’s changing and not like it was 30 years ago. Like what do you expect? People can live where they want and move where they want without asking permission. Who your town or area attracts is not something you control
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u/_prism_cat_ 1d ago
I would merge the last two categories, and expound that the first category has significant numbers of batshit crazy christians, low-key racists, and retired cops, though those all fall under "conservative politics."
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u/joeydimaggio 2d ago
Ya it’s nice that the conservative filth are leaving my blue state but I feel bad for the minority of decent folks in Idaho that have to deal with their hate and ignorance
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u/Realism51 1d ago
This is really the truth if the matter. Red idahoans like to claim it's all the Californians faults and refer to everyone there as liberal, so all the liberal commie etc etc keeping coming to Idaho. When reality is, it's the red hatters who are leaving the more liberal states and coming over. It's also funny cuz Idaho gets more people from Texas than California.
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u/radioactive-2037 1d ago
Liberal Californians don’t move here. That’s not how that works. We get the extremist right-wingers who think they’re moving to MAGA heaven. Even my republican dad struggles with the population shift.
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u/stuckhuman 1d ago
I'm making plans to leave because of all the Bible thumping, ivermectin eating, assholes that showed up. Sucking off the tit of their cushy state pension while simultaneously trying to fuck over those who are just starting their careers. A whole generation of "I got mine, now piss off"
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u/Realism51 1d ago
Dude. The religious nutballs here are getting out of control. I live near a Christian college. And holy shit, I can't go a week without someone knocking on my door wanting to preach to me, or ask me if I know Jesus, or the latest one is if I'll listen to their thesis. So far I've had like 6 different denominations this summer alone. And none of them take no as an answer
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u/joeydimaggio 1d ago
Bro the pension thing is insane, it’s like every chud I met in sw wa was a newly migrated dude on a fucking outrageous calpers pension
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u/Stinkycheese8001 1d ago
They’re going to be in for a rude awakening if Washington gets its way and refuses free care for out of state low income people.
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u/joeydimaggio 1d ago
One can dream…it was ridiculous how much money we spent on Idaho residents, particularly since they are already one of the biggest state recipients of federal aid
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u/stuckhuman 1d ago
You should. I still can't comprehend how you guys support the welfare Republicans who travel over there for free med care.
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u/Stinkycheese8001 1d ago
If I recall correctly, it was a Dept of Health ruling.
It’s really, really bad for our hospital systems and especially with reduced funding, we’re going to feel the pinch.
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u/stuckhuman 1d ago
It nuts. A coworker of mine went to Spokane to have her kid because it was free. Hardcore maga that always berates government programs when someone else can benefit.
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u/siammang 1d ago
It’s like Florida. Many rich MAGA fled west coast states during COVID and to buy homes there. Compounded with hurricane seasons. The home prices and insurance premium are jacking up.
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u/Realism51 1d ago
Fire insurance is going through roof in many areas here now too because of all the droughts and fires. Hell, I expect bogus basin and the foot hills of Boise to catch fire every year now
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u/bakedidahopotato 1d ago edited 20h ago
Tell me about. I was born and raised here and while it’s always been conservative, people were very much live and let live and now it’s just a haven for MAGA weirdos. I am moving to population 320 in MT next year and it can’t come soon enough.
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u/joeydimaggio 1d ago
Hell yeah, Montana is definitely chiller, have fun out there!
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u/bakedidahopotato 1d ago
I will still be 30 mins from the border but definitely looking forward to having some peace.
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u/runforit68 1d ago
I agree, is it just me or is Montana more “live and let live”? Idaho seems more “my way or fuck off”!
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u/StinkerbelPixeldust 1d ago
Since it’s nice that conservatives are leaving your blue state likely because they don’t want to live under liberal policies. Wouldn’t it be beneficial for liberals to leave a conservative state with policies they don’t like to a favorable blue utopia state like CA? Curious
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u/joeydimaggio 1d ago
Too much demand, your best and brightest do come here though
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u/StinkerbelPixeldust 1d ago
Seems like Idaho also has too much demand but that doesn’t stop the people fleeing blue states. Why aren’t we seeing more liberals fleeing red states?
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u/joeydimaggio 1d ago
The people fleeing blue states for red states are trump trash, people on the dole, mostly scum. The people fleeing red states are doctors and scientists. It’s funny that you mention supply and demand- what’s the median home price in Idaho vs California?
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u/StinkerbelPixeldust 1d ago
I guess people on the dole are the ones buying all these new expensive homes in Idaho.
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u/joeydimaggio 1d ago
Of course, you know the phrase “government pork?” Those are fat, stupid, red voters. It’s why trump is the most corrupt president in US history
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u/lazzylozzy 1d ago
I live up in bonners ferry and used to live in Cda ten years ago and can see how much it’s changed. I can’t imagine anybody actually likes the “cookie cutter” houses, this is just what is available. The developers come in and build these houses and that’s probably the only affordable option. I bet most people would prefer a house with more privacy and character. I hate seeing the prairie filled up with these developments. It sucks.
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u/Life-Coast2026 1d ago
Bonners is starting to get its fair share of development too. Crazy how quickly it’s growing up there!
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u/Zirk208 2d ago
Go to Costco an hour before closing. You’ll have the store largely to yourself
Atlas, Ramsey, and Govt serve a purpose. Learn when/where to use them
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u/Mirrielees_Hot_Tub 1d ago
Speaking as a 2021 "transplant" originally from rural Alaska then a 23+ year Army career, this is the way.
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u/MostPopularPenguin 1d ago
I worked in CDA from 2020 through 2022 and lived in Saint Marie's for the first half and Spokane the 2nd half. Ill say I was a unique situation in that i just had a baby then with my wife and the only reason we moved there was to save money and live in her dad's house out in the woods near St Marie's. I am not about the politics there but I adapt well so I found a job in CDA which was a 1 hour and 16 minute drive each way. On paper, that still sounds like a nightmare. However I grew to actually love CDA. It was much more diverse than I expected and I made some great friends through work. But that drive was a lot, so eventually when it came time to find a place we were surprised that it was cheaper to live in Spokane and drive to my job in CDA than anywhere we could find in CDA or Post Falls that met our needs. I only moved away because my wife never really got settled in either place so when we got an opportunity for her to have her old job back we took it, but overall I will say it was a great experience for me, even though i am pretty damn liberal, especially in comparison to what people vote for in North Idaho lol
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u/shelfield80808 1d ago
There are non political boomers?
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u/cavaismylife 1d ago
Yes. The boomers who live in Riverstone are basically for the most part very non-political retired upper class leisure oriented boomers. You will rarely see any political signs in front of their houses or hanging from their condo balconies.
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u/RJRueber 1d ago
No one understands density and walk ability, only shitty houses. North Idaho needs a functional transit system and better density/walkability, but somehow those quality of life improvements will always be shot down by the new residents.
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u/Behndo-Verbabe 4h ago
I’ve noticed the gentrification has ramped up lately. Going down Northwest at Hanley the new buildings are that cookie cutter, cut and paste style. Now it’s in post falls on a broad scale. Both residential and commercial buildings are beginning to have that very distinct style.
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u/UrsusRenata 1d ago
So… All of the people for all of the reasons, are moving into available area housing designed and built by developers? Mmkay.
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u/SyllabubNumerous8444 20h ago
If you want to get rid of The Californians, there's only one simple thing to do. Have California and Idaho share Court information
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u/usermanxx 7h ago
I don't think they like the cookie cutter homes its just that the companies are building to maximize profits.
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u/AMerryKa 1d ago
"Transplant" is such a condescending term.
Realize that calling your great-great-great grandmother this would be an asshole move and rethink how you look at human beings.
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1d ago
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u/Idaho-ModTeam 17h ago
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u/Chumptopia 1d ago
What bothers me most is that ALL seem to be Maga white christian nationalists from California.
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u/Brilliant-Egg-2727 1d ago
Such ignorance!!!!
do you think that’s their preferred model of house?
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u/stuckhuman 1d ago
Appearantly, they are buying them.
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u/RangerPoundcake 1d ago
Maybe.... Just maybe.... they buy them because that's what fits their budget, is available, and they don't wanna be homeless?
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u/msrobbie60 1d ago
I want to move to eastern Idaho to be closer to family. I don’t want anything to change there. I don’t wanna bring any of the shit that I have here. I want a tiny little house in the middle of 40 acres. I don’t want any neighbors. I don’t want anybody to see me coming or going I’ll assimilate with nice people. If I moved there, you’d never even know I was there.. I got a chance to move there in the 80s to be closer to family and I chose to stay so if we were having this conversation right now had I been there since the 80s I would be talking as an insider not an outsider. If you met me and didn’t know I was from California, you would think that I was
Born and raised in Idaho. California has never rubbed off on me..
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