Job Seekers Fuel Homelessness in N.D.

(AP)  More than almost any other U.S. state, North Dakota has escaped the worst effects of the country's recession, but with its good fortune has come an unexpected problem: homelessness, as desperate job seekers flow into the largely rural state looking for work.

Shelters are full statewide, and soup kitchens are feeding as many as they can. Some homeless newcomers are living in cars, but as temperatures linger below freezing, many are bunking with acquaintances to avoid freezing.

Many of the job seekers came to North Dakota without researching jobs or housing, said Louis "Mac" McLeod, executive director of the Minot Area Homeless Coalition. They arrive to find they are unqualified for the work that exists, or if they land a job, they can't get housing, which is scarce.

"If you got a roof over your head, stay there," McLeod advised. "We want people to come to North Dakota, but we don't want people coming here and not being able to survive."

Most don't understand how severe North Dakota's winters are, he said: "Put your hand in a freezer for five minutes - welcome to North Dakota."

Eric Cisneros, 27, drove 700 miles (1,125 kilometers) from Colorado to North Dakota about three weeks ago on a tip from a friend who landed a job in the oil fields. He's been spending nights in his truck or staying with new acquaintances in Minot. The town of about 36,000 is home to a college and a U.S. Air Force Base but has no permanent shelter for the homeless.

Most of North Dakota's smaller cities and towns lack shelters and other services for the homeless. That may be because large-scale homelessness hasn't been a widespread problem before.

Last year, 987 homeless people were counted in a survey that recorded people encountered by volunteers in a single day, said Michael Carbone, executive director of the North Dakota Coalition for Homeless People. That was an 18 percent increase from the previous year's count of 836. This year's figures aren't yet available.

Cisneros said he plans to tough it out even though North Dakota is "probably the coldest place on the planet."

In Colorado, he worked as a laborer and carpenter, competing with dozens of people for each job. In Minot, he found a job as a cashier at a truck stop and has applied for oil industry jobs.

"Initially, it's been tough in North Dakota but in the long run, I think it will be worth it, because there are jobs here," Cisneros said.

North Dakota has about 8,500 unfilled jobs and the lowest jobless rate of any state, at about 4 percent.

But jobs don't guarantee housing. Half of the homeless people in North Dakota are employed, Carbone said.

Housing of any type is rare in Williston, in the heart of North Dakota's oil patch. Two city-owned trailer parks that were abandoned when the oil industry tanked 20 years ago are full again. Still, developers remain leery of the oil industry's boom-and-bust cycle and have been slow to build new apartments or homes.

"Housing is horrible here - there's nothing," said Lisa Hoffman, a supervisor at the Northwest Human Services Center.

"The shelters are full and the motels are full, but everybody is coming here thinking they'll get one of these big oil jobs," she said. "If they do, they might end up staying in campers or with other people."

Homeless shelters in bigger cities are filling up fast, in part because of the lack of services in smaller communities, said Dan Danielson, director of Fargo's New Life Center, the state's largest shelter. The number of people staying there each day has jumped from 76 in 2008 to about 100, he said.

Lured by the prospect of high pay in the oil industry, most job seekers don't realize many open positions are "entry-level, service-type jobs," Danielson said. But some might come anyway.

"I believe people are moving to North Dakota out of desperation," he said. "If you're coming to North Dakota, you're probably escaping a pretty significant situation."

[djseavy]

I have no problem with government trailers, etc., provided there are jobs that will not just be a "here today gone tomorrow" situation. It's handing out trailers to those who don't have jobs and are showing no incentive to look for work that I object to. And I agree: Family is the best resource, if they are in a position to help. I think there ought to be tax breaks for family members who help others obtain housing and employment. We'll give tax breaks to WalMart to come in and run all the small shops out of business and employ workers part time at minimum wages, why not help families instead of the fat cat corporations who ultimately TIHS on us?

[wyodutch]

Whaaa!!!! "Why can't the federal government put up temporary housing?"
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Whaaa!!! "Why can't the federal government buy campers and haul them to North Dakota?"
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Whaaa!!! "Why can't the federal government buy me a hamburger and a hotel room?"
.
.
Jeezus people... Were you all raised on foodstamnps and public housing? You think the taxpayers should take care of you?
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How about Eric Cisneros thinking about where he was gonna hang his hat BEFORE stepping foot in Dakota?

[AgentGGG]

Looks like there is an opportunity to build low-cost housing in N.D.

[wjksea]

by sddrepublican February 8, 2010 5:14 PM EST

Why can't the federal government put temporary trailers there and house these people?

OMG !!! that's socialism !

[wjksea]

Job Seekers Fuel Homelessness in N.D.
Low Jobless Rate Draws Flocks of Unemployed to the State, Leaving Shelters Struggling to Keep Up

Sounds just like Hoover dam at the time of the great depression. Flocks of people camping out near the dam site waiting desperately for employment. The plutocrats tell the people to pick themselves up from their bootstraps. How offensive !

[stevador39]

AMERICANS MAY NOT HAVE JOBS BUT PRESIDENT B.O IS PROVIDING REFUGEES AND ILLEGAL ALIENS WHO HAVE AFFIRMATIVE ACTION ON THE JOB FRONT. DON'T FORGET TO THANK B.O. FOR THIS CONTINUING MESS. HE IS GIVING THE NATIONS RESOURCES TO HIS ILLEGAL WARS AND FOREIGN AID.

[sddrepublican]

I commend Eric for wanting to find a job. I think that Eric is very bright. The oil fields will open up again simply because we are going to be less dependant upon foreign oil. Oil field jobs pay well, but the work is extremely hard and dangerous. I too lived in ND for a time near Williston. I can personally say that there isn't much housing up there. There are alternative solutions. Why can't the federal government put temporary trailers there and house these people? I mean we can bail out the big banks, but we can't house people willing to work to put bread on the table? What is wrong with this picture? Where is Byron Dorgan to help these people?

[culturechang]

Wait, if they are coming in for the jobs, why do they need the shelters? I dont think I would move anywhere until I knew I had a job there. Until then, I will avoid North Dakota in the winter!!!!

[mary-miami]

When Bush entered the whitehouse for the first time, the nation was prosperous. Clinton left a surplus. When Bush left the Presidency, the economy had crashed. The republican party destroyed the middle class in this country and created a second Depression. Now, just because they won 1 seat in Congress, they want us to believe that they are "strong" again...The right wing did so much harm to the American people during the time they were in power...God help us if they ever are in power again...The republicans do nothing for the common American worker...They are the party of the rich. They were the ones that created an atmosphere where the CEOs could layoff thousands of people, and then fly off in private jets to spas...President Obama is a good leader who wants to work cooperatively, however, the republicans want him to fail. He should not give in to their wishes so easily. He was elected to bring about change to help the common worker.

[John_Merritt]

Even though this is not comparable to the Great Depression, there are many familiarities some allude to at times. When all is bleak because of joblessness, homelessness and helplessness; we need to gauge our wants and needs accordingly. Individuals need to be made to feel welcome in their families and communities. In order for that to happen, we need to maintain contact with our family members to ensure that escapism is not the overriding factor in their decisions.

There is no shame by asking for assistance from family. No matter the course and direction of past decisions, you will find that family is the most suitable and affordable for those with the greatest needs. This economy is essentially stalled, and if you know someone in dire need and can help, I would encourage each of us to look within and apply the Golden Rule to both situations; ours and theirs.