Watford City is taking bold steps to address its housing shortage. The city has seen tremendous growth since the 2010 oil boom, but high home prices and limited inventory have made it challenging for many residents, particularly essential workers, to settle and thrive.
To bridge the gap, Watford City has introduced the Pathway to Purchase pilot program, which invests $3.6 million to build nine single-family homes. Participants can rent these homes with a portion of their payments applied toward a down payment, enabling eventual ownership. If successful, the city plans to expand the initiative to build up to 30 homes annually.
The city is also investing in long-term solutions by training the next generation of construction workers at the Bakken Area Skills Center, creating a pipeline for future housing development. These efforts, alongside innovative approaches like exploring modular and 3-D printed housing, reflect Watford City’s proactive approach to creating affordable and sustainable housing options for its growing community.
Read more here on what Watford City is doing to tackle housing challenges.
