POWERS LAKE – Finding suitable housing in North Dakota’s rural communities is not an easy task. In many areas, it has been a generation since new homes or apartments were built. In that time, both the economy and the housing needs of the people have changed.
Tools designed to help rural community leaders address these housing shortfalls will be showcased at a Regional Housing Roundtable on Thursday, March 6, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bethel Baptist Church, 208 Ledene Street, Powers Lake, ND.
“Many communities lack appropriate housing for their aging population, and do not have single-family housing available for a growing workforce. At the roundtable, there will be an opportunity to hear about technical assistance, grant opportunities and loan programs that address these challenges,” said Jolene Kline, North Dakota Housing Finance Agency’s (NDHFA) planning and housing development director.
Roundtable attendees will learn what a demand analysis is and how it can be used to expand housing opportunities in a community. They will also be introduced to a Statewide Technical Assistance Team (STAT) and discover what resources the group can provide to communities.
“STAT was established to aid communities in devising a housing strategy, and offers the support and resources needed to help them meet their housing goals,” said Kline, who heads the group.
Assistance from STAT is targeted to communities of less than 20,000 population. A collaboration of both public and non-profit agencies, the partners help community leaders define housing needs, develop necessary projects and see the projects through to completion.
City and county commissioners; legislators; housing, economic and job development authority members; local lenders; and rural electric cooperative representatives are encouraged to attend the roundtable.
The Burke County Job Development Authority is the event sponsor. There is a $10 charge to cover the cost of materials and lunch. To RSVP or if you have questions, contact Pat Tinjum at (701) 701-377-5627 or burkejda (at) nd (dot) gov. The registration deadline is Feb. 28.
In addition to the NDHFA staff, representatives of Affordable Housing Developers, Inc.; CommunityWorks North Dakota; North Dakota Department of Commerce; North Dakota Rural Development Council and the Center for Technology and Business; USDA Rural Development; and US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development have been invited to participate.
For more information about resources available to communities, contact Jolene Kline at (701) 328-8080, (800) 292-8621, (800) 366-6888 (TTY) or info (at) ndhfa (dot) org.
