WILLISTON, North Dakota – Oil and gas companies promise jobs, money, and development when they move into an area.
And the town of Williston, North Dakota is experiencing all of that. Recently, 21 News Reporter Talia Hagler traveled to Williston and tells us there's also a downside to the big oil boom.
When you take a small city like Williston North Dakota and you try to cram thousands of additional people into it, you run into a big problem, housing them all.
Ward Koeser is the mayor of Williston. He's watched the city's population in the last four years. People are flocking to the small town because of the jobs the oil industry is creating there. But there's simply not enough housing to accommodate everyone.
With supply low and demand high, rents are skyrocketing, forcing some people, mainly senior citizens, to leave the town they call home.
Even hotel rooms are booked months in advance. That's led to companies building what's called man camps. Man camps offer a bedroom, three meals a day, and sometimes entertainment to the workers putting in long hours in the oil fields.
A camp we visited will eventually house 25-hundred people and have an indoor swimming pool, media rooms, and recreational areas.
The oil companies typically pay for their workers to stay in a camp. "If we follow what the projections are, this camp should be here at least 10 years," said Mike Boudreaux, CEO of Capitol Lodging.
Many of the people headed to Williston looking for work don't even have the luxury of living in one of the man camps. They end up parking their car, truck, or RV in a parking lot and calling it home.
"I live right here in my little Ford Focus, my car. And it's been rough, but it's better than living on the street," said Las Vegas native Cliff Gardner.
Gardner and the others staying in Williston from across the country are just lucky the weather's been so mild. Living in your car in North Dakota during the winter can be deadly.
Housing is not the only problem people in the Williston area are facing.
Trucks servicing the oil industry have invaded these once peaceful communities. And they tear up the areas mostly dirt and gravel roads.
The growing population also puts a strain on stores, restaurants, and services here. "You can't get your haircut, you can't get your fingernails done, you stand in line. People in Williston are not use to standing in line to get into a restaurant," said Williston resident Diane Hagen.
The one thing the North Dakota Department of Mineral Resources say they haven't dealt with is any major environmental issues. Overall the mayor says there are some huge challenges they're dealing with, but it's worth it for the tremendous opportunities.
