Watford City's First-Ever Affordable Housing for Public Service Employees Dedicated

To meet the needs of affordable housing in Watford City, Wolf Run Village, an $8 million project consisting of 42 housing units, was dedicated last week. This housing project will accommodate law enforcement personnel , teachers and public service employees, as well as their families. N.D. Governor Jack Dalrymple, N.D. Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem, Gene Veeder, McKenzie County Economic Development Director, Katie Walters, Bakken Housing Partners and Mark Schwei, Consolidated Contractors took part in the dedication.

A needs assessment survey taken two years ago identified affordable housing as a critical need in Watford City. The 42-unit complex is comprised of 24 one-bedroom apartments and 18 two-bedroom townhomes located at the corner of 3rd Street and 4th Avenue Southeast. The first two buildings in the six-building complex opened for new residents August 2. Two more will open September 1 and the final two will open October 1.

“Wolf Run Village is a great example of public and private resources coming together to address important needs like affordable housing for essential services employees and childcare,” Dalrymple said. “The state is happy to be a partner in this project by providing funding through North Dakota’s Housing Incentive Fund and Law Enforcement Pilot Program, as well as an Energy Impact Grant to help fund the daycare facility. Congratulations to the community of Watford City, Bakken Housing Partners and all those who played a role in the development of this complex.”

“Law enforcement agencies in western North Dakota have repeatedly cited increased housing costs and shortages as an issue in recruiting and retaining officers,” said Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem. “By providing affordable housing for the public employees and a new daycare center for the community, the Bakken Housing Partners are helping to deliver a safer future for Watford City and its new residents.”

“Many people throughout the community worked hard for the past two years to bring this project to fruition,” Katie Walters, with Bakken Housing Partners, the developer of Wolf Run Village said. “It’s great to see it completed and know that local families now will have an affordable place to call home.” Bakken Housing Partners LLC is owned by Mark Bragg and is working to develop housing throughout the Bakken.

The construction time table was accelerated to ensure at least some of the project was open in time for the start of the school year. “Consolidated Construction did a great job under difficult conditions including the weather,” said Mark Bragg. “They made the impossible happen.” Mark Schwei, EVP of lead contractor Consolidated Construction said, “We were committed to meeting this deadline for the teachers and students in the Watford City school district. We supplemented local subcontractors with others from at least four surrounding states, and pushed hard for on-time material deliveries to make it happen.”

Wolf Run Village is a non-profit organization. Rent is anticipated to be in the $800 to $900 range for teachers, city and county employees, and emergency responders. The apartments will have employment restrictions and will not be open to the public.

Donations and grants were vital in getting this project up and running, as well as to keep the rents affordable, Walters noted. Funds were contributed by McKenzie County and the McKenzie County School District. A grant and loan subsidy was received from ND Housing Finance Agency Law Enforcement Pilot Program. The non-profit also received a NDHFA Housing Incentive Fund grand for almost $1.5 million with First International Bank providing a $250,000 matching grant.

Childcare needs also to be met with Wolf Run Village

The needs assessment survey from two years ago also identified childcare as a critical need in Watford City. With that in mind, the other component of Wolf Run Village is a childcare center that will accommodate up to 200 children. The daycare facility will open bids for the daycare project later this month with a scheduled completion date of February 2014.

Gene Veeder said, “Overall, the entire Wolf Run Village complex is a true example of the Watford City community coming together to meet vital needs – affordable housing and daycare – both of which are important infrastructure elements critical to keeping the town alive, operational and successful.”

Wolf Pup Daycare will be owned and operated under the Wolf Run umbrella, making it a non-profit entity. Any profits from the business will be used for new equipment and resources, or need-based scholarships. The daycare will serve all families of Watford City; enrollment is open to everyone.

As with the Wolf Run Village apartments and townhomes, donations for the daycare have been instrumental in off-setting construction costs, as well as to furnish and supply the new facility when completed. Fundraising is also underway to help keep daycare rates affordable.

The following organizations have donated to the daycare thus far: QEP Resources, Whiting Petroleum, MBI Energy Services, Power Fuels, Oppidan Construction, McKenzie County Bank, and the Roughrider Fund.