Bemidji Area Organizations Look at Solutions to Housing Stock Shortage

This is part two of a two-part story on a lack of housing stock in the Bemidji area. Part one, which discusses problems with rising prices and how unaffordable units are for many, is available here.

With Bemidji facing a housing stock shortage, area organizations and government entities are coming together to find a solution to this ever-growing problem. Minnesota needs a reported 100,000 units to supplement existing housing. Out of that, 1,000 units will be required in Bemidji.

The problem-solving that different organizations are tasked with welcome a variety of voices to come to the table and work on this issue.

“There is so many non-profits that are so good at what they do,” said Headwaters Regional Development Community Development Specialist Sandy Hennum. “The city, the county, everybody really is ready to come to the table and understand the role that they’re kind of playing in this area.”

Organizations are not looking at putting a band-aid over a bullet hole. Rather, they are finding a plan just as big as the Minnesota housing crisis to solve it.

“We have a number of agency partners that are working together around housing, and there is some planning that is taking place,” explained Beltrami County Health & Human Services Director Anne Lindseth. “We’re looking at how we can develop a number of new buildings that would cater to moderate-to-low income households.”

Beltrami County has also set aside acreage to build mixed housing that would help not only low-income people but also provide workforce housing.

“We’re really paying attention to the multifamily,” furthered Northwest Minnesota Foundation Program Officer Cory Boushee. “I don’t think it’s just affordable housing. I think it’s across the board. There’s just a need for more housing and then for homeownership. We’re working on some innovative solutions to address the affordability gap to homeownership.”

Some voices are also encouraging change in both the planning and the policy-making.

“[City officials] have to have something new in place,” said former Red Pine Estates resident Shirley Driskell, who was displaced after the apartments were closed due to concerns over structural integrity. “And when people are constructing these new apartments and whatnot, they need to take some of that and make sure it is for low-income housing. There has to be an ordinance or something.”

Other community members like Misty Bray, who has also been working with the group “Rally for Red Pine,” are adding to the conversation. “It’s important for them to start coming up with policies, procedures so that when [housing closures] happen again, because it will, what is our plan of action so that we’re not in a crisis mode like Red Pine?”

Officials at the state level are also looking at new ways to alleviate the crisis. This past legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill that would allocate $1 billion toward housing, with $40 million set aside specifically for Greater Minnesota. This investment could open doors for many people that were once closed.

“Greater Minnesota and kind of our northern Minnesota region is really perfectly and strategically ready to capture this money and to really be able to move forward with some amazing programs for housing,” said Hennum.

Beltrami County has also passed a housing trust fund ordinance that will be awarded to agencies looking at development of housing and supports for housing.

But even though funds can help many people, the problem of Bemidji’s housing shortage is still at the door. Some estimate it could take about 20 years before results from these investments are seen.

“I think [the funds are] a good idea,” said Driskell. “I think that’s something that does need to happen, but it’s not happening soon enough.”