Housing

Depending on an employer’s geographic location, housing may be an issue for both employers and employees. For example, a health care facility in a small, rural town may experience challenges in recruiting workers due to a lack of quality, affordable housing options.

Various rental assistance options may exist in approaching housing issues. Providing housing stipends may be viable to offset the cost for an employee to rent a larger home in a small community where affordable, individual housing is not available. Another option may include employer-provided housing, either included as part of an employment contract or as rental property. The housing could be owned and rented by the facility or owned and rented in conjunction with a local or regional rental agency.

Some organizations provide incentives to purchase a home, such as recruitment incentive towards the down payment of a house or a monthly housing stipend for those who have purchased a home.

Employers can also promote statewide programs that assist employees in purchasing a home. In South Dakota, the First Time Home Buyers Program provides low interest fixed rate mortgage loans and cash assistance for home buyers purchasing their first home.