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New housing task force created by House Bill 1549 aims to expand reentry housing, task force chair says
Summary
The housing task force established by House Bill 1549 will examine homelessness definitions, develop housing assistance models (vouchers, master leases), improve coordination with DHHS and housing providers, and monitor sober‑living capacity for people leaving DOCR custody, task force chair Tom Earhart said.
Tom Earhart, chief probation and pretrial officer for the North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, told the subcommittee the housing task force formed under "house bill 15 49" will focus on improving access to safe, affordable housing for people leaving DOCR custody and under community supervision.
Earhart said the group has developed six outcomes that mirror the statute’s directions: review and clarify DOCR’s definition of homelessness; design recommendations for a housing assistance program (for example, first‑month/last‑month rent, security deposit support or vouchers); evaluate the feasibility and desirability of master leases for eligible participants; develop procedures to improve awareness of available housing options; enhance coordination among housing providers, DHHS and DOCR; and build a system to monitor sober‑living and low‑barrier housing capacity.
Earhart noted the task force includes DOCR staff, housing finance and provider representatives, regional program managers, and a member with lived experience who now works as a peer support coach. He said the group had completed one meeting, adopted a charter and planned monthly two‑hour meetings with prioritization to begin at the next meeting on Jan. 21.
On master leases — where an agency leases a property and then assigns eligible participants — Earhart said providers’ willingness to participate may be limited, especially for people with serious criminal histories, and that securing provider partners will be a central challenge. The task force will examine whether an agency should act as master leaser or whether alternative structures are more feasible.
Earhart’s presentation provided the committee with task force membership, the scope limited to residents of North Dakota, and practical next steps; legislators requested updates as the task force develops policy recommendations.
