11.22.22

Hoeven Continuing Efforts to Advance Affordable Housing Redevelopment in Fargo

NDIC Awards $3.4 Million in Federal Funding for Lashkowitz High Rise Demolition

FARGO, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven issued the following statement after the North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) awarded $3.4 million in federal funding for the demolition and redevelopment of the Lashkowitz High Rise in Fargo. The award is made available under the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Housing Trust Fund, which provides funding to states for affordable housing development.

Earlier this year, Hoeven toured the Lashkowitz High Rise with local leaders and discussed efforts to redevelop the site to help provide safe, quality affordable housing for the community. Hoeven has been working to secure funding through the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Brownfields Cleanup Grant program to address asbestos mitigation, resolve the city’s funding shortfall and help move the project forward.

“This award complements our efforts to ensure the City of Fargo has the resources it needs to safely remove asbestos from the Lashkowitz High Rise in order to move forward with demolition and redevelopment,” said Senator Hoeven, a member of the Senate Transportation, Housing and Urban Development Appropriations Committee. “Through partnerships between federal, state and local governments, we are working to empower the city to make the best use of this land and ensure local residents have access to affordable housing.”

“Housing affordability is a top priority for The City of Fargo. The funding from the Housing Trust Fund via the North Dakota Industrial Commission means our plans to perform environmental mitigation and redevelop 110 units of affordable housing at the site of the High Rise will remain on track to begin next spring,” said Mayor Dr. Tim Mahoney. “This is a historic project and I can definitively say it would not have been possible without the strong collaboration and tireless work of Senator Hoeven and Governor Burgum to partner with the City and the Housing Authority to tackle these challenges and deliver success.”

“This would not be possible without the partnership between state and federal officials working together to solve this unique challenge facing our area and it will increase our ability to provide affordable housing to those who need it most,” said Fargo Housing Authority CEO Chris Brungardt.  

In addition to the August meeting, Hoeven:

  • Spoke with Barry Breen, EPA Acting Assistant Administrator for the Office of Land and Emergency Management, to:
    • Stress the importance of replacing the outdated HUD facility.
    • Ensure the Brownfields Cleanup Grant program can adequately meet the community’s needs.
  • Repeatedly raised this priority with HUD Secretary Marcia Fudge during THUD committee hearings in recent years.
  • Hosted a call between the City of Fargo and HUD officials to identify funding opportunities for the project.

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