By Lucy Wyndham

In North Dakota and across the US, the booming real estate market has left many people struggling to find affordable housing.

As well as an increase in property prices, apartment rentals have risen by 10% across the country as landlords have had to pass on the effects of inflation and other soaring expenses to the residents of their properties. Landlords in North Dakota still have a legal responsibility to provide habitable dwellings in a good state of repair, and maintain safe and clean outside areas for their tenants. By making a greater investment in their properties beyond basic living needs, landlords can create more appealing communities for their tenants. When this extra investment in rental properties is combined with financial help from the state, tenants are more likely to be able to enjoy safe, attractive and accessible housing.

Providing Safe and Attractive Rental Properties

North Dakota laws ensure that all landlords have a responsibility to maintain rental properties up to code. For internal maintenance, this may involve entering the property in an emergency to inspect the property or carry out repairs, ensuring all services and appliances are in good working order. Property owners are also responsible for keeping common and outside areas in a clean and safe condition, free of unsightly waste. This means, providing the appropriate receptacles and facilities for the disposal and removal of garbage from the property.  As well as meeting basic levels of safety and cleanliness, both landlords and their residents can benefit from  investment in shared outdoor spaces. In addition to providing a potential boost in rental returns for property owners, attractive landscaping can create a greater sense of community for their residents, and encourage longer-term tenancies. This in turn helps landlords to avoid unnecessary downtime caused by empty properties.

Counseling and Financial Support for Struggling Tenants

While landlords may lose income when their property is empty, with rising property prices, tenants have struggled more as they try to keep on top of their regular rental payments and utility bills, especially during the pandemic.  Last September, the North Dakota Rent Help program was expanded in order to help any tenants affected by COVID to pay for certain utility bills, as well as offering support with their rent. With advance notification of approval for assistance and direct payments, local landlords felt the program had been very useful for their tenants in need of help.  Now, further help is being made available to tenants through an award to the North Dakota Housing Finance Agency of $73,000. This money will be used to provide counseling services to families on low to moderate incomes to help them access affordable home financing provided by the Agency.

Although affordable and accessible housing is in short supply in North Dakota, support is available to help tenants find and remain in suitable accommodation. While landlords have legal responsibilities to maintain safe and habitable homes, by taking extra measures to create attractive outdoor spaces, they can provide more secure and pleasant communities for their tenants.