As workers continue to stream into Minot during the post-flood recovery period, finding housing isn't going to be getting any easier.
The city would be wise to take the advice of the Minot Flood Recovery Committee and create criteria for temporary workforce housing.
The recovery committee adopted a suggestion from its housing subcommittee Wednesday asking the city to create criteria that would include a site plan, method of water and sewer, fire protection and emergency response measures and other information. Housing providers would have to meet the criteria before permitting could occur. Getting sites and plans approved faster would certainly help solve the short-term problem.
The recovery committee is also discussing the long-term outlook for housing in Minot, which will no doubt be changing in the coming years. There will be some former residents of the river valley looking for new homes or other housing on the city's north and south hills simply to avoid going through another flood experience ever again. Preparing infrastructure for potential projects will take some work and some time, but the committee is doing the right thing by beginning to address the issue now.
Minot will be changing. Some homes in the valley will not be rebuilt. Some residents will not return to the valley. The city must address all housing issues sooner rather than later or risk losing residents permanently.