Housing a Problem in Minot?
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| 9/23/2009 |
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| There seems to be a constant clatter of hammers and saws around Minot. As fast as apartments are going up, they are being rented even faster. "There is a half percent of vacancy rate," says Mark Austin, Minot Housing Authority Austin says that finding places to live isn`t the only problem. Another is affordability. Austin`s job is to help find housing for the elderly and low income families, but with housing prices on the rise, it`s getting hard to do. "We`ve seen $70 to $100 increases in the housing market. HUD gives around $5 to $10 dollars a more for houses," says Austin. Housing and Urban Development otherwise known as HUD, is a federal program that gives a set amount of money to low income families to pay rent or a mortgage. "We have a contract with HUD that allows us to help 792 familes," says Austin. The housing authority is helping 750 families in Ward county. 70 more families have been deemed eligible, but they can`t find a place to live. "We`ve been in contact with HUD letting them know we have a problem,` says Austin. The solution? HUD will be conducting a county wide survey to find out just how much rents have increased. Austin hopes this will allow more money to come in and in time help families find a place to live. `There is just such a big difference in the price of a house here in Minot and the price that we are allotted to give someone," says Austin Austin says as more people move to Minot, rent prices will just continue to increase. |
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