Neighbors have raised thoughtful questions and real concerns about safety, screening, traffic, cost, and who the program is for. These are the answers from Mountain View Church of the Brethren and the Christian SafetyNet board, updated from the questions and input received through July 23, 2026.
No. Christian SafetyNet is a transitional educational and residential program designed to help participants strengthen their employment, educational, financial, and independent-living skills. We expect applicants to come through direct contact, family referrals, nonprofit organizations, and other community sources. The program may also serve older adults who want affordable housing, community, and opportunities to mentor others.
A recommendation from the Parole Board does not guarantee admission. Every applicant, including anyone with a misdemeanor, felony, or parole history, must satisfy all screening and program requirements. The church and its nonresidential programs remain open to the public.
We recognize that nearby residents are concerned about the number of halfway houses in the area. Christian SafetyNet is not designed or operated as a halfway house. It is a transitional educational and residential program for people who are committed to improving their employment, social, and life skills, gaining a better understanding of the Christian faith, and building long-term life stability, all within a disciplined Christian environment.
Every applicant must satisfy the program's eligibility standards and complete a thorough interview and screening process. We are committed to operating responsibly and addressing legitimate neighborhood concerns through clear rules, appropriate supervision, and consistent safety practices.
No. Neither Mountain View Church of the Brethren, its pastor, Steve Neighbors, nor Rae Casey owns or manages any halfway house. We are aware of five such facilities in the neighborhood and have heard that there may be up to nine.
Based on our limited experience with individuals who attend our church, we believe the facilities with which we are familiar provide valuable structure and support. Their residents may attend church services subject to the church's robust safety policy, which is available on the church website, MtnViewCOB.com.
There are three reasons for this focus. First, this concern is personal. Steve Neighbors spent part of his youth in foster care, where he experienced both harmful and caring foster homes. That history gives him a deep compassion for young adults who leave the foster-care system and then face adulthood with limited support. In Idaho, many of these young adults have few resources after turning eighteen. Some do not continue their education, lack confidence, struggle to build healthy relationships, or eventually become involved with the correctional system. Mr. Neighbors believes that steady Christian instruction, practical life-skills training, and close mentoring beyond age eighteen can help these young adults find stability, purpose, and hope.
Second, the program is not limited to young adults who have aged out of foster care. We also want to make room for applicants from other backgrounds who sincerely want a second chance to strengthen their economic stability, employment readiness, and life skills.
Third, the program may also serve senior adults who still have much to offer by mentoring others. It may also help seniors who can no longer afford to remain in their homes by giving them a way to sell their homes, preserve their equity, live in a dorm unit for a modest fee, and remain connected rather than living alone.
Anyone may attend the educational programs, regardless of sex, income, or marital status, subject to available space and applicable program rules. Dorm residents receive priority because their monthly fees help support the programs. The church remains open to helping the broader community.
The eligibility and screening requirements described on this page are specific to residency in the SafetyNet dorm units.
Christian SafetyNet is a faith-based ministry that addresses spiritual development as well as practical life skills. Questions such as “Who am I?”, “Why am I here?”, and “What responsibilities do I have to God and others?” are central to the program. Our approach is grounded in the teachings of Jesus as found in Scripture.
Residents are not required to adopt our beliefs, but they must participate respectfully in the program's Christian instruction and attend Mountain View Church or another Scripture-based Christian church that agrees to coordinate with us. Applicants who are not comfortable with these requirements may attend the public educational offerings when space is available without becoming dorm residents.
Applicants may come through direct inquiries, family referrals, nonprofit organizations, or other community contacts. Anyone may attend the educational programs when space is available, although dorm residents will receive priority. Dorm applicants must demonstrate a sincere commitment to complete a customized program and to follow all residence rules. Because of these standards, the requirement of four hours of community service a week, and normal changes in residents' circumstances, we anticipate an average vacancy rate of approximately 15 percent.
The program is intended for adults with limited education or job training, from a variety of backgrounds, who want to improve their education, employment prospects, and financial stability. Some may not have completed high school or college and may find that limited credentials restrict their earning opportunities and ability to afford stable housing. Recent inquiries from parents seeking options for their adult children indicate that this need exists locally. Participation requires each resident to make a genuine commitment to the program. Christian SafetyNet is designed to help committed participants develop the knowledge, skills, and habits that employers value.
Some participants may be at risk of losing employment or stable housing because vehicle breakdowns disrupt their ability to work. The program therefore offers instruction in job readiness, basic vehicle maintenance, and interpersonal skills to help participants become more stable and self-sufficient.
There is a dorm building for male residents and a separate dorm building for female residents. Together, the buildings will contain 24 four-bedroom units. The plan is for twenty units to house residents and mentors, while four units will be reserved for onsite staff and offices. The four-bedroom design helps reduce the monthly cost per room. The program's maximum resident capacity will be 80.
Residents must be at least 18 years old and employed. There is no maximum age, provided an applicant can live independently and does not require assisted-living services. Older adults may apply if they seek affordable housing, community, or an opportunity to serve. After appropriate screening, qualified residents may also serve in mentoring or dorm-monitor roles. The program may also meet a need for affordable housing among college students who satisfy the same eligibility requirements.
The original concept contemplated up to 100 male residents, which we determined was the maximum the site and our resources could support. Because we anticipated an average vacancy rate of approximately 15 percent, the operating budget assumed about 85 residents.
After revising the plan to include separate housing for men and women, we reduced the maximum resident capacity to 80. Actual occupancy is still expected to average about 15 percent below that maximum.
We originally planned to serve only single men because several third-party experts warned against housing young women who face economic and life-skill challenges together with young men who face similar challenges. One board member, Steven Neighbors, is also responsible for the housing for Xquisite, an anti-sex-trafficking program, and for the Ron Woods Family Program, both in Carson City, Nevada. He has seen the challenges of mixing these vulnerable populations.
However, because of neighborhood concerns, and after consulting with several parties and redesigning the safeguards, we now plan to open separate male and female dorms from the start. We believe the revised design and safety policies responsibly address this concern.
The residential campus is currently designed as shared dorm units for adults without dependent children, and we do not yet have the resources or specialized experience needed to serve families with children appropriately. Single parents are welcome to attend educational classes when space is available, and we can help connect families with organizations and churches that provide child-focused services.
If Mountain View Church of the Brethren or Christian SafetyNet later develops the necessary facilities, staffing, and resources, we may reconsider this aspect of the program.
Each dorm resident is responsible for their own medical needs. The monthly dorm fee covers a monthly visit with the education counselor and access to pastoral and peer support. Residents who require special-needs services or counseling will have to pay for that themselves, if accepted into the program.
The dorms are not designed to provide medical, psychiatric, substance-abuse, or secure residential treatment. Applicants will not be accepted if they are actively abusing substances, present a threat of violence or predatory conduct, require a level of care the program cannot provide, or do not demonstrate a sincere commitment to the program.
Every resident must be able to follow the community's rules and obligations and pay the applicable dorm fee.
Admitting applicants who are under community supervision or listed on a sex-offender registry raises serious questions. Christian SafetyNet is not focused on serving people with felony convictions or individuals listed on a registry. We may consider such applicants, but no person will be accepted or rejected solely because of a label. Each applicant will undergo individualized due diligence.
In addition to the standard due diligence, applicants under community supervision must authorize disclosure of relevant information and allow us to consult with their parole officer. They also must have responsibly attended to all their legal obligations, be responsibly employed, and demonstrate at least two years of successful reintegration into society. Applicants listed on a sex-offender registry must also disclose the applicable risk assessment used by the Idaho Department of Correction (IDOC) and gain written approval from IDOC.
Successful reintegration can reduce recidivism risk, but it does not replace careful judgment, strong safeguards, or a thorough interview process. We will protect residents and the surrounding community through individualized screening, separate male and female dorms, appropriate design safeguards, and clear safety policies.
People who have committed serious offenses must be held accountable and fulfill all legal requirements placed upon them. At the same time, we realize that only a fraction of unlawful acts are ever known and prosecuted. That is why due diligence is needed.
As to those who have been prosecuted for a sexual offense, we believe those who have fulfilled their legal obligations and shown a sustained commitment to change should have a carefully supervised path toward restoration. Without stable housing, employment, accountability, and community support, successful reintegration becomes more difficult. Our willingness to consider an applicant does not guarantee acceptance. Every applicant must satisfy our screening standards, complete a thorough interview, and comply with all safety requirements.
Our Christian faith calls us to extend both compassion and accountability, while protecting residents and the surrounding community. We welcome support from anyone who shares that commitment, and we intend to continue serving and strengthening our neighborhood.
The two dorm buildings will be three stories, approximately 40 feet high. They will begin about 25 feet west of Cole Road and extend approximately 350 feet to the west. A laundromat and indoor training facility will be located between the male and female dorm buildings to support resident interaction and program activities.
A basic vehicle maintenance shop will be located at the northwest end of the two-acre parcel. A 1,000-square-foot coffee shop without a drive-through will be located near the property entrance off Cole Road.
The city has asked us to close the driveway at the northeast corner of the property. In response, we plan to widen the Cole Road driveway so it can serve as both an entrance and a two-way exit. We also plan to widen the driveway onto Settlers so vehicles can turn in either direction.
The roadway is approximately 28 feet wide along our property but narrows to about 20 feet beyond it. We recognize that this narrowing is a legitimate neighborhood concern, even though improvements beyond our property would require coordination with the city and other affected parties. Not every resident will own a vehicle, and many may work outside traditional daytime hours or be retired. We will provide charging stations for electric bicycles and scooters and encourage use of public transportation to reduce traffic demand.
We estimate that approximately 80 percent of residents will have access to a vehicle, and the program's basic maintenance instruction may help them keep those vehicles in safe operating condition. The site will also provide designated areas for electric bicycles, scooters, and motorcycles.
Some residents will use public transportation. If bus-stop crowding becomes a concern, we will coordinate with the appropriate transit authority to explore practical options. Because residents may work day, evening, or night shifts, their travel is expected to be spread across different times of day.
Each resident will be expected to complete four hours of community service per week. One possible service activity is assisting neighbors with basic vehicle maintenance, but that opportunity will not be offered until insurance, liability, supervision, and safety requirements have been resolved. Trade-training programs may also be opened to the public when capacity and program rules allow.
Church services, Sunday School, and the food and clothing bank remain open to the public. The food and clothing bank currently operates during limited hours on Wednesdays; to confirm the hours, call the church office at (208) 375-0604.
We understand why some neighbors may prefer that the program be located elsewhere. The need, however, exists throughout our community, and especially in our neighborhood. Our church believes responsible service should begin where we are.
We are committed to protecting the neighborhood and addressing legitimate concerns through careful screening, professional oversight, clear rules, and appropriate site safeguards. We hope to demonstrate through our planning and operations that the program can serve participants from a lower economic demographic while also being responsible neighbors.
The dorm buildings, shop, trade-training space, and related facilities are estimated to have a hard construction cost of $8.5 million, with a completed value estimated at $12 million. Substantial donations will be needed to keep the target monthly fee to $650 per resident. This estimate assumes four-bedroom dorm units. The final dorm fee for a resident will depend on construction costs and the amount financed after accounting for cash and in-kind donations.
The fee will include access to the education modules, shop access, the food and clothing bank, and a monthly meeting with an educational counselor. An onsite full-time property manager, an accounting administrator, and a pastoral team member are also planned.
We expect the project to be financed through a combination of cash donations, in-kind contributions, and conventional financing. Donations and donated labor or materials will reduce the amount that must be borrowed.
Christian SafetyNet Program, Inc., an educational as well as a religious nonprofit, will lease approximately two acres from the church. Subject to lender approval and final financing terms, the ground lease and dorm income may serve as collateral, while cash and in-kind donations will support the required equity contribution.
Our faith teaches that every opportunity depends on what God provides. As John 3:27 states, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven.” If we cannot raise sufficient funds to construct the dorms, we will reevaluate that portion of the project and determine whether the educational and ministry programs can proceed on a smaller scale or in another form.
If financial or operational conditions prevent the dorm program from continuing, the lender would retain the security interests established in the final financing documents, which may include the ground lease and dorm income. Any future use of the buildings would be determined in accordance with the loan documents, applicable approvals, and decisions made by the nonprofit, the church, and the lender.
A possible outcome could be conversion to another lawful residential use managed by a qualified third party. Our priority would be an orderly transition that protects the property, the neighborhood, and the interests of all parties.
Christian SafetyNet Program, Inc. is a tax-exempt nonprofit organization governed by a volunteer board. The current board includes Steve Neighbors, administrative pastor of Mountain View Church of the Brethren, and Rae Casey, who leads the Elder Board that gives full oversight of the church. Additional board seats may be filled by people who contribute resources, expertise, or leadership, subject to the organization's governing documents and conflict-of-interest policies.
Board members are not paid for their service. The anticipated paid positions are the onsite manager, administrative and accounting personnel, and the educational program director.
Steve Neighbors is leading the project on behalf of Mountain View Church of the Brethren, which he has attended for the past 17 years. He receives no compensation, development fee, or profit from the project and serves at his own expense. He is a long-term Boise Valley resident and an experienced local business consultant.
We expect to begin recruiting and interviewing candidates for the onsite manager and program director positions once dorm construction is well underway. Based on the current schedule, that process is anticipated to begin in approximately two years. The timing may change as construction and financing plans develop.
Yes, this program will require sustained effort, careful stewardship, and support from many people. We believe a church is called not only to gather for worship and fellowship, but also to serve God and meet practical needs in the community. We view this work as an opportunity to put our faith into action.
If your question is not answered here, or you would like to talk it through, please contact Steven Neighbors directly.
For church services, Sunday School, or food and clothing bank hours, call the church office at (208) 375-0604.