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Committee approves referral of New Freedom Family Center application to City Commission
Summary
The committee voted to forward New Freedom Family Center's request for a local match (up to $107,006.92) for purchase of 1405 Skyline Way to the city commission; applicant described the program as a for‑profit treatment facility for pregnant and parenting women that allows children on site.
The Vision Fund Committee voted Oct. 23 to forward an application from New Freedom Family Center to the City Commission seeking a local match of up to $107,006.92 for the Bank of North Dakota (BND) PACE program to help purchase 1405 Skyline Way, the former Best Western hotel.
Nathan introduced the application and said the committee’s scoring matrix rated the project 10 out of 14. Andrea Swindler, identified in the packet as one of the owners, told the committee the project converts the hotel into an apartment‑style treatment facility serving pregnant and parenting women, enabling clients to receive substance‑use treatment while their children remain on site. Swindler said the program currently operates and had admitted its first residential patient around Sept. 23; she said the facility has about 10 clients currently.
Swindler described the model as a for‑profit operation and said the facility provides on‑site daycare (which “doesn’t have to be licensed” in her description), locked access and on‑site maintenance/security. She cited a Columbia University finding that drug overdoses among pregnant and postpartum people rose 81% from 2017–2020 to illustrate need for the service.
Committee members asked for clarifications about nonprofit status and demand; Swindler confirmed both facilities are for‑profit and said the state had approached them about the service gap. During questioning, an applicant representative said the original purchase price was about $6.2 million and that the loan item noted in the packet was “4.125” (the transcript does not specify the unit or whether that represents a rate or amount). The applicant said nearly $500,000 in liquidated‑damages‑type costs increased their net outlay and that personal collateral and third‑party reimbursement are part of the funding mix.
A member moved to recommend the city commission approve forwarding the application; after a second the committee conducted a roll call. The transcript records affirmative votes from Member Strickmeyer, Member Sher, Peterson, Mayor Schmitz, and chair Fraley. The chair announced the application is approved to continue to the City Commission.
The committee’s action forwards the local‑match request; the City Commission will consider the next, formal decision.
