Hoeven Passes Two Pieces of Legislation to Resolve LaGrave Place Loan, Enable Affordable Housing Improvements

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – Senator John Hoeven today announced that he has: Passed two pieces of legislation to resolve a loan issue that has been outstanding for nearly a decade and enable the Grand Forks Housing Authority (GFHA) to make needed improvements to LaGrave Place, a 66-unit affordable housing project. This effort started in 2017 when the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) loan matured and began accruing interest. The GFHA applied for deferral of the loan repayment in accordance with the program’s regulations, but HUD did not act upon the application. As a result, the loan balance has grown from $1.9 million to $2.4 million. The outstanding loan affects the GFHA’s ability to access private capital to make updates to the facility. Hoeven secured legislation in both the Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 funding legislation and the Continuing Resolution (CR) recently passed by the Senate to address this issue. The first legislation directed the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to restructure or forgive GFHA’s $2.4 million loan for the LaGrave Place project. Hoeven worked with HUD to craft the original language. However, the department later determined that too many housing authorities would be eligible for the limited funding. Hoeven then went to work to pass a second piece of legislation, correcting HUD’s original language to prevent the appropriated funds from being depleted and ensure GFHA’s loan would be resolved. Hoeven’s legislation provides funding to close out the existing loan, which will enable the housing authority to improve the building and enhance the quality of life for residents. Secured final approval for nearly $1.8 million in federal funding to support the services the Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) provides to victims of violence. Hoeven worked closely with Associate Attorney General (AAG) Stanley Woodward at the U.S. Department of Justice to resolve the delayed grants and get the funds released to the CVIC. All three major, multi-year grants have now been awarded to the CVIC, including: $725,000 from the Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention. $500,000 from the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Consolidated Youth Program. $555,000 from the End Violence Against Individuals with Disabilities program. The grant funding provides certainty for the CVIC’s operations, which last year: Helped 4,000 individuals in crisis. Provided prevention and outreach services to 17,000 adults and children. “Passing legislation in Congress is no small task, but we have now passed two pieces of legislation to ensure the Grand Forks Housing Authority can make updates to LaGrave Place and enhance this 66-unit affordable housing complex,” said Hoeven. “This issue has been ongoing for nearly a decade. That’s why we worked to pass our original legislation, which directed HUD to resolve the outstanding loan. However, the language provided by HUD wasn’t specific enough. So, we wrote and passed another piece of legislation to fix the provision and provide funding to get this $2.4 million loan off the books, which will free up capital so GFHA can move forward on its renovation project. “At the same time, we’ve continued working with the DOJ to get this $1.8 million in federal funds to the CVIC. This organization does vital work in the Grand Forks region, serving some of the community’s most vulnerable members. They deserve to have certainty for their operations, and now we’ve finalized all three major, multi-year grants. Doing so will ensure these services remain available to victims of violence, helping them remain safe and recover.” -###-