Living in apartments and motels never felt like home to Glenn Myrold. That was until he moved into the Crossroads Apartments, a 55+ senior living community in Fargo, North Dakota developed by the nonprofit Beyond Shelter, Inc.
Myrold never has to pay more than 30% of his income on rent at the 81-unit community. More importantly, he has rekindled his love of playing pool and no longer worries about moving again.
“This is the longest I have ever stayed in one place, and the security is very important to me,” Mynold said.
Myrold’s experience at Crossroads is one of the many stories that showed Dan Madler, Beyond Shelter Inc.’s chief executive officer, and his team how important their work truly is. It also reinforced the point that affordable housing is a foundational part of living a healthy and meaningful life.
“Housing is more than just shelter,” Madler said. “It’s foundational to all positive life outcomes. Housing is connected to one’s health, education, employment, safety and so on. And, essentially, without housing, nothing else works.”
NCRC member organization Beyond Shelter, Inc. is a mission-driven housing developer that has been around for 26 years. Over that time, it has built and preserved more than 1,700 housing units across 54 different developments. The organization also has two additional buildings estimated for completion in the fall of 2027, which will add 78 more units to its portfolio.
The organization’s housing development models range from preservation and revitalization to new construction. Beyond Shelter also builds and operates different housing types, including senior housing, multifamily buildings and supportive housing.
Beyond Shelter’s work is happening at a time when housing affordability continues to worsen across the Peace Garden State. The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimates that there are only 53 rental homes available for every 100 North Dakotans earning less than $25,000 per year.
To Madler, Beyond Shelter’s work starts with the simple belief that everyone deserves a quality, affordable place to call home.
“Without stable housing, people live in fear,” Madler said. “With it, they gain security, connection and dignity.”
Madler added that Beyond Shelter’s long-term goal is to reach $150 million in assets by December 31, 2035, a goal he describes as critical to expanding the organization’s impact.
He emphasized that those assets are not the mission, but the engine that allows the organization to develop and preserve more housing, respond to community needs and deliver long-term impact.
“That impact will last long after I’m gone,” Madler said. “That growth will give us flexibility to say ‘Yes’ when communities need our help.”
Madler went on to say that partnerships, especially with organizations like the National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), have been important in expanding access to resources and relationships that support affordable housing. He explained that organizations like NCRC help ensure private investment reaches communities that are often overlooked by supporting their affordable housing efforts.
For instance, last year, NCRC and Old National Bank negotiated an addendum to the bank’s multi-year Community Growth Plan that unlocked $1.6 billion in new funding for organizations in North Dakota, Wisconsin and Minnesota.
“NCRC helps ensure that private investment reaches the communities that are often overlooked,” Madler said.
Robert Davis is a Contributing Writer.
Photo courtesy of Beyond Shelter, Inc.
