Finding Housing After Prison in North Dakota

Housing is the first domino. Without a confirmed address, parole supervision in North Dakota cannot begin, employment cannot start, and benefits cannot be accessed. North Dakota parole officers require an approved address before release is authorized. The housing search begins before the gate opens.

North Dakota operates one of the most developed transitional housing systems relative to its size in this series. DOCR places approximately 60% of people granted parole directly into transitional facilities -- five named locations across the state. Nearly 80% of people who complete an adult transition program go on to succeed. A three-bill reentry package signed by Governor Armstrong in April 2025 and North Dakota's first-ever Commissioner for Recovery & Reentry (appointed 2026) reflect a state that is actively expanding its reentry infrastructure.

The Housing Landscape in North Dakota

North Dakota Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (DOCR, docr.nd.gov) has integrated transitional housing into the core of its release process since 1989. Approximately 484 people -- about 60% of those granted parole in 2024 -- were placed directly into transitional facilities.

The DOCR Re-Entry Program is mandatory for offenders identified at admission who meet the criteria. It requires participants to enter into a Mutually Agreed upon Plan (MAP) using the Levels of Service Inventory-Revised (LSI-R) framework. The program includes institutional and community treatment, AA/NA participation, education, vocational training, employment, community services, and family and faith-based support. The length of participation after release is determined by progress and sentence length. Participants must be paroled to the program.

North Dakota operates five transitional facilities:

Centre, Inc. (docr.nd.gov/transitional-facilities/centre-inc) operates three residential locations under DOCR contract:

Centre Fargo: Halfway house and Residential Reentry Center; Male Transition Program (for male DOCR inmates within two years of parole eligibility or discharge date); Female Transition Program (gender-responsive residential services for female DOCR inmates within two years of parole eligibility or discharge date); Female Assessment Center (up to 60 days; assesses female probationers at risk of revocation and recommends appropriate care plans including treatment, transfer to other DOCR facilities, or community placement); and the Re-Entry Program (mandatory for eligible parolees).

Centre Mandan: Halfway house and RRC; Male and Female Transition Programs.

Centre Grand Forks: Halfway house and RRC.

All three Centre facilities provide 24-hour supervision, individualized case management, drug testing, electronic monitoring, and group sessions covering motivational enhancement, conflict resolution, chemical dependency aftercare (ASAM Level 1), money management, and parenting. Residents may leave for work, education, and programming with staff approval.

Bismarck Transition Center (docr.nd.gov/transitional-facilities/bismarck-transition-center): 140-bed capacity facility with daily breathalyzer testing, patch searches, case managers, and employer check-ins. As of January 2025, the facility housed 123 residents. High program completion rates: DOCR Director Colby Braun testified that nearly 80% of inmates who participate in an adult transition program and complete it go on to succeed. Administrator Kevin Arthott oversees operations.

Lake Region Residential Reentry Center: Serves eastern North Dakota as a transitional facility in the DOCR network.

North Dakota is also planning a new reentry facility in northwest North Dakota as part of its 2025-2027 legislative appropriation -- addressing the documented gap in reentry options for people hoping to return to home communities in that region.

In April 2025, Governor Armstrong signed a three-bill reentry package (House Bills 1425, 1417, and 1549) focused on diversion, cross-agency collaboration for ID and Medicaid enrollment, and stronger reentry outcomes. HB 1549 strengthens collaboration between DOCR and DHHS to ensure people leaving prison have state identification and medical coverage on release day. Jonathan Holth was named North Dakota's first Commissioner for Recovery & Reentry in 2026.

For federal inmates, the Bureau of Prisons coordinates RRC placement for North Dakota federal inmates. The District of North Dakota U.S. Attorney's Office operates a Reentry Program. Federal RRC placement is coordinated by the BOP unit team beginning 17 to 19 months before the projected release date. Under the First Step Act, earned programming credits can result in RRC placement up to 12 months before release. Families do not apply to federal RRCs directly.

Federal Restrictions on Public and Subsidized Housing

Federal law divides criminal history restrictions on federally assisted housing into mandatory lifetime bans and discretionary bans. Both apply in North Dakota.

Mandatory lifetime bans apply regardless of which North Dakota housing authority is involved:

Anyone subject to a lifetime registration requirement under a state sex offender registration program is banned from admission to public housing and most HUD-assisted programs. This is federal statute and no North Dakota housing authority can waive it.

Anyone convicted of manufacturing methamphetamine on federally assisted property is permanently barred from all HUD-assisted housing.

Certain drug-related convictions carry mandatory restrictions depending on the specific program and conviction type, though PHAs retain some discretion in this category.

Discretionary bans apply to all other criminal history. North Dakota PHAs may consider criminal history but are not required to impose blanket denials. HUD guidance from 2016 encourages individualized assessment. North Dakota PHAs vary in how broadly they apply discretionary standards. The Housing Choice Voucher program (Section 8) is administered locally, so the specific policy depends on which North Dakota PHA covers the relevant area.

North Dakota has no statewide fair chance housing law limiting private landlord or PHA use of criminal history beyond the federal framework.

For Families

If anyone in the family lives in public or subsidized housing, this section requires immediate attention before release.

Adding a returning family member with certain criminal convictions to a household in public or HUD-assisted housing can constitute a lease violation and result in termination of the voucher or eviction of the entire household. Families in public housing must contact their specific housing authority before the person comes home. The conversation happens before release, not after.

For families in private rental housing, North Dakota has no statewide fair chance housing law. Landlords may use criminal history in tenant screening without state restrictions.

North Dakota's strong transitional housing placement rate means most parolees enter a Centre or Bismarck Transition Center facility directly from prison. For families planning around this: ask the DOCR parole officer and facility case manager early about which facility the person will be placed in, what the program timeline looks like, and what the discharge plan is for transitioning to permanent housing after the transitional facility stay.

For people returning to northwest North Dakota, services have historically been more limited. The planned new reentry facility in that region addresses this gap but confirm its status and timeline at publish.

What families can do before release:

Contact the housing authority immediately if anyone in the household lives in public or subsidized housing. Get the specific policy before the person arrives.

Ask the DOCR case manager about Re-Entry Program enrollment, transitional facility placement, and which Centre location or Bismarck Transition Center will be used.

Ask about HB 1549 -- make sure state ID and Medicaid enrollment are initiated before release day.

For people returning to rural or northwest ND: ask the parole officer specifically about housing options in that region and the status of the planned northwest ND reentry facility.

Call 211 North Dakota (dial 211) for housing referrals and reentry services by county.

Contact Legal Services of North Dakota (legalnd.org) for free housing rights guidance.

Confirm all housing with the assigned parole officer. An approved address is required before release.

State Resources

ND DOCR Transitional Facilities (docr.nd.gov/transitional-facilities): Centre Fargo, Centre Mandan, Centre Grand Forks (Centre, Inc.); Bismarck Transition Center (140 beds); Lake Region RRC; Re-Entry Program (mandatory for eligible parolees).

Centre, Inc. (centrend.com): Three Centre locations in Fargo, Mandan, and Grand Forks; Male and Female Transition Programs; Female Assessment Center; 24-hour supervision; case management.

Bismarck Transition Center (docr.nd.gov/transitional-facilities/bismarck-transition-center): 140-bed capacity; daily supervision; breathalyzer testing; employer check-ins.

ND DOCR Reentry Resources (docr.nd.gov/parole-and-pardon/reentry-resources): Contact for parole officer and facility case manager reentry coordination.

211 North Dakota: Dial 211 for free referrals to housing, reentry services, shelter, and emergency assistance by county.

Legal Services of North Dakota (legalnd.org): Free civil legal assistance for eligible low-income North Dakotans, including housing rights and expungement.