The Backstory from the North Dakota News Cooperative
The Backstory from the North Dakota News Cooperative
Podcast Description
We break down the in-depth reporting and key issues from the North Dakota News Cooperative with reporter Michael Standaert and CEO Sabrina Halvorson.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
The podcast focuses on critical issues affecting North Dakota, particularly in agriculture and tourism, with episodes exploring topics like USDA funding cuts impacting farming, the effects of trade wars on the agricultural economy, and uncertainties surrounding summer tourism prospects, emphasizing the voices of local farmers and community stakeholders.
We break down the in-depth reporting and key issues from the North Dakota News Cooperative with reporter Michael Standaert and CEO Sabrina Halvorson.
In this episode, journalist Michael Standaert joins Sabrina Halvorson to discuss the ongoing housing shortage in rural North Dakota. They explore the root causes, including infrastructure challenges, floodplain restrictions, and developer disinterest. Standaert also highlights Senate Bill 2225, a widely supported $50 million proposal that aimed to expand infrastructure and kickstart housing development but failed quietly at the end of the legislative session. The conversation examines why this failure received little public attention and how a similar proposal might return in the future.
Key Discussion Points:
- The rural Grand Forks region faces a shortfall of approximately 4,800 homes, excluding the city itself
- Floodplain restrictions and valuable farmland limit geographic expansion in small towns
- Developers are reluctant to invest in rural areas, preferring high-profit urban projects
- Senate Bill 2225 proposed infrastructure funding for housing development, but failed despite broad support and no opposition testimony
- The bill’s failure occurred in the final hours of the session (around 2:10 a.m.)
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