Better access to housing and transportation were among suggestions gathered at a public input meeting Wednesday on the city’s spending of its Community Development Block Grant dollars.

Based on its population, Minot recently became an entitlement city, which means it will be receiving direct allocations of CDBG dollars rather than a state allocation from a lump sum provided to North Dakota. Minot’s allocation last year was $331,580.

Wednesday’s public input meeting was part of the process of developing a plan for spending future CDBG money. The Department of Housing and Urban Development has restrictions on how money can be spent, but programs related to abused children, battered adults, the elderly, illiterate or severely disabled are among automatically approved classes. For instance, Meals on Wheels would be an approved program because it benefits elderly residents, explained Chris Plank, the City of Minot’s federal grant administrator, who facilitated the public meeting.

The CDBG program targets housing and expanding economic opportunities for residents at or below 80% of the median income, eliminating blight and urgent needs, such as immediate threats to the community’s welfare for which other funds aren’t available.

Median income used to determine program eligibility varies by family size, but Ward County’s average median income for a family in 2024 was $112,300.

“Housing is a major challenge that we have across the board in Minot. But when it comes to this population, affordable, accessible, available housing is extraordinarily important,” said Scott Burlingame, executive director for Independence, Inc., who was one of a handful of citizens who attended the meeting.

Burlingame mentioned housing barriers, particularly with government housing, that include poor credit, past criminal history, current or past drug use and mental health issues. A felony on one’s record from within the past 10 years can keep someone from accessing most housing, he said. That’s where private landlords can provide a valuable service, he added.

“But they’re also the first ones to tell you they’re exhausted by this,” Burlingame said. “There’s a lot of repeat offenders that bounce from one place to the next.”

Lack of access to transportation was another top concern raised at the meeting.

Some participants had concerns that many in need of help, particularly veterans, aren’t aware of resources and suggested that better communication among agencies providing services might help. A central location for resources could be advantageous, especially for people who don’t have transportation to get to multiple agencies, they said.

It was noted a local nonprofit coalition does work to address these communication challenges. The Minot library and Minot Housing Authority also have resource information, although printed information can quickly become out of date.

“All of us in the nonprofit world recognize that is a barrier, so we try our best to be the experts on those things,” Burlingame said. “We can’t expect folks to just do that, because it is so hard.”

Other suggestions revolved around housing rehabilitation for low-income families and individuals and providing utility assistance for those who fall through the cracks of existing programs. There was discussion on keeping elderly in their homes by creating connections to individuals who provide home and yard care services or creating volunteer groups to help fill those needs.

“We just have a continued need for permanent supportive housing,” Burlingame said. “It’s not just about finding them housing, but helping them to actually get the support so that they can actually stay housed.”

The need for supportive housing was particularly highlighted in instances of people transitioning from drug or alcohol programs or who are experiencing mental health issues.

With the information gathered from Wednesday’s meeting and from other information-gathering meetings and activities, Plank will be drafting a plan to present to the Minot City Council.

Jill Schramm/MDN
Chris Plank, federal grant administrator with the City of Minot, leads a discussion on potential uses of the city’s Community Development Block Grant funds at a public meeting Wednesday.