Addressing Housing Issues in ND

Grand Forks Community Land Trust (GFCLT) has been working with The Minot Housing Task Force to address some of the difficult housing issues they are facing due to the loss of so many houses in the flood this past year. Bremer Bank Nonprofit Resource Specialist Kelly Greenlees is one of the founding board members of GFCLT and is working closely with the organization as they address affordable housing issues. GFCLT Executive Director, Emily Wright has met with The Minot Housing Task Force consisting of representatives from Minot Housing Authority, National Guard, North Dakota Housing Finance Agency (NDHFA) and numerous other community leaders. Bremer Bank Nonprofit Resource Specialist Jerry Stai in Minot plans to get involved with this CLT task force to have a Bremer presence and to share expertise.

GFCLT has contacted the National CLT Network to incorporate their assistance with housing issues in Minot, and will be featured at the 2012 NDHFA annual conference in February. GFCLT and the NDHFA believe CLTs could be a good way to approach the affordable home ownership dilemma in Minot, Dickinson, Bismarck, etc.

GFCLT feels confident that it will be a critical piece of the puzzle to help with the housing issues going on in Grand Forks and is near completion on construction of its first community land trust home in the state. They are also willing to share their insight to assist any other communities that want information on community land trusts. Bremer is pleased to be a part of this initiative. More information on GFCLT’s progress can be found online at http://www.gfclt.org/.

Kelly Greenlees, NRS, Grand Forks