A new housing survey for North Dakota has been completed – and it shows continued population growth.
The survey was done for the state Housing Finance agency.
"They're projecting the population is going to increase 25 percent out to 2025," said agency director Mike Anderson. "That's about 170,000 new residents. These are permanent residents."
Anderson says that means 840,000 people by 2025. He says oil patch counties are expected to grow the most – and the population of Williston is predicted to double. He says that also means more demand for affordable housing – which is his agency’s mission.
"Our mission is going to have to be a significant part of the plans and strategies to expand housing inventory," Anderson said.
Gov. Jack Dalrymple called that a challenge.
"We've got some catching up to do," said Dalrymple. "We need to accelerate the response to that before people find some place else to go."
At a housing summit in Bismarck, Dalrymple outlined some of his proposals for the 2013 Legislature. He said he wants to put $30-million into the Housing Incentive Program – to jump-start housing development. Dalrymple also says he wants to expand the homestead tax credit – so more of the elderly can benefit. And he wants to expand a program through the Bank of North Dakota to buy down interest rates.
"It's a big proposal," Dalrymple told the summit. "It's aggressive. But the demand is here now for that type of housing."
Dalrymple says along with that, he’s proposing $150-million for the state’s Energy Impact Fund – to allow cities to invest in such things as sewer, water and streets. He said that, too, would help get housing built.
"This has been a big help to a lot of communities," said Dalrymple. "It does not, by any means, cover all of their needs. But it does take the edge off, and make it more manageable for them to deal with the level of development that's going on."
