Peace Garden News

Senator John Hoeven hosted U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner in North Dakota this week to review the state’s affordable housing efforts. The visit included tours of affordable housing developments in the Fargo area and a roundtable discussion with stakeholders.

During the visit, Hoeven emphasized the use of public-private partnerships to build affordable housing across North Dakota. He cited projects like Monterey and Brighton Place, an 85-unit senior housing complex in West Fargo, which used $2.7 million in federal funding to attract $15.8 million in private investment to replace outdated public housing.

Hoeven also discussed enhancements to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) included in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. As a cosponsor of the Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act, he noted that increasing LIHTC allocations to states by 12 percent could help finance an additional 1.22 million affordable homes nationwide over the next decade.

He highlighted how affordable housing projects can benefit communities by providing diverse housing options, keeping living costs down, and supporting redevelopment efforts such as replacing Lashkowitz Tower in Fargo. These initiatives aim to drive economic growth and meet residents’ needs.

The senator also spoke about programs that support homeownership by reducing costs for families and individuals. Of the 13,500 loans currently serviced by the North Dakota Housing Finance Authority (NDHFA), nearly half are guaranteed by the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), helping borrowers access lower interest rates. NDHFA and FHA offer additional programs for first-time homebuyers to assist with down payments and closing costs.

“North Dakota’s population has grown rapidly over the past 20 years, resulting from a strong economy and affordable cost of living. In order to sustain this trend and support families’ quality of life, we’ve worked across the state to ensure enough housing is built to meet demand and make sure affordable options are available,” said Hoeven. “I appreciate Secretary Turner for visiting the state to learn about our efforts, hear the needs and priorities of North Dakotans and to work with us to make the best use of taxpayer dollars to address critical housing needs in our state. In particular, today’s discussion was an opportunity to strengthen the public-private partnerships that are driving the construction of affordable housing, while highlighting programs available to make home ownership more affordable.”

As a member of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Committee, Hoeven has supported several federal programs enabling developers to secure private investment for affordable housing projects. These include Community Development Block Grants ($5.5 million allocated for North Dakota in Fiscal Year 2024), Low-Income Housing Tax Credits ($3.46 million projected for FY25), Home Investment Partnerships Program ($3.44 million for FY24), Housing Trust Fund ($3.14 million for FY24), and Section 8 Vouchers that provide rental assistance for more than 21,000 individuals statewide—primarily seniors, people with disabilities, and families with children.