WILLISTON, N.D. (AP) - City leaders in Williston plan to seek an attorney general’s opinion on how they can help residents at two mobile home courts where monthly lot rents are being increased by as much as 180 percent.
The new owners of FM Trailer Court have told residents that rent will increase from $300 to $850 on June 1. At Elm Estates, new owners last year raised rent from $350 to $750, according to the Williston Herald (https://bit.ly/1gFz92q ).
The Williston City Commission this week voted to seek the opinion of Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem on legal options after more than a dozen residents asked for help.
“Floods have displaced people,” Commissioner Brad Bekkedahl said. “This is displacing people. It’s a different way of displacement.”
Williston is the hub of the western North Dakota oil patch, where a boom in activity in recent years has led to a housing crunch as people have flocked to the region in search of high-paying jobs.
A national study from an apartment renting guide recently found that Williston had the highest average rent in the U.S., at nearly $2,400 a month for a one-bedroom apartment. The amount is higher than New York City’s and Los Angeles’ average rates.
“This is kind of a natural disaster,” city resident Lee Steen said.
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Information from: Williston Herald, https://www.willistonherald.com
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