Boise Affordable Housing Gets Free Geothermal Heat
Developers and landlords in affordable housing can cut tenant energy costs by linking to shared underground heat networks.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Utilities
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Boise, Idaho, city officials estimate that residents of a planned affordable housing development could save up to 80% on utilities by heating with geothermal energy. The Lusk District project, with a total cost of about $140 million, would extend the city's existing geothermal heating network, which serves roughly 100 buildings including the Idaho State Capitol. For Boise landlords and affordable-housing developers, the model shows how shared geothermal infrastructure can lower tenant energy costs.
Why it matters
Micron Technology's $2.5 million contribution closes a funding gap for the geothermal network extension, which is what makes the connection to more than 300 homes feasible. The project reflects the city's goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2050 and a push to extend heat networks to residential developments rather than only large public buildings.
City estimates put potential savings at up to 80% for residents of the planned Lusk District development, a $140 million project. The geothermal extension would connect more than 300 homes, with Micron Technology's $2.5 million contribution closing a funding gap, though the savings baseline and the 2028 timeline remain projections.
The players
Micron Technology
A major U.S. semiconductor manufacturer whose contribution closed the funding gap for the geothermal network extension.
J. Fisher Cos.
The developer leading the Lusk District affordable housing project in Boise.
Boise Housing Land Trust Program
The city program partnering with the developer to keep the Lusk District homes affordable.
Eversource Energy
A New England utility that owns the Framingham, Massachusetts geothermal network serving roughly 140 customers, an example of utility-owned thermal networks.
The details
Boise's geothermal network draws naturally heated underground water at 177 degrees Fahrenheit and distributes that heat to buildings, free of the fuel costs tied to conventional heating. Under the Lusk District plan, the network would be extended to the new development, so that heat would be free to residents rather than billed as a separate fuel charge. Developer J. Fisher Cos. is working on the project with Boise's Housing Land Trust Program, which is the mechanism for keeping the homes affordable.
Timeline
Spring (before 2028): Construction on the Lusk District project is slated to start.
2028: Expected move-in year for Lusk District residents.
2050: Boise's target year for reaching carbon neutrality.
Market Landscape
Eversource Energy's Framingham, Massachusetts geothermal network, serving roughly 140 customers, is one of a small number of utility-owned thermal networks. The U.S. has 33 thermal energy networks, including planned ones, and Boise's project extends that model into affordable housing.
Landlords and developers weighing affordable-housing projects should note that shared geothermal heat can materially reduce tenant utility costs when the network is in place. Operators in the energy and construction sectors should watch how cities structure funding partnerships, since outside contributions like Micron's can determine whether an extension proceeds.
The takeaway
The model shows that a utility-scale heat network can be extended to affordable housing when a funding gap is closed by a private partner. Businesses in real estate and energy services should track the project's construction start and actual tenant savings against the 80% projection once residents move in.
What happens next
Construction on the Lusk District project is slated to start in the spring, ahead of the expected 2028 move-in year.
Further reading
For broader context on how cities are building shared energy systems, explore the Utilities coverage on We are Main Street.
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Would you consider switching to a geothermal heating system to lower your utility bills?
