As Duluth Grows, Housing Market Tightens

DULUTH (AP) - The city of Duluth has worked hard to add jobs and make the city more attractive by nurturing its arts and outdoors scene.

Its success is highlighting a new problem: not enough mid-range housing is available for all those people moving in.

The most recent state data show Duluth added more than 1,000 jobs between fall 2012 and 2013. Mayor Don Ness says they are good-paying jobs, and the people taking them are looking for clean, modern housing that costs between $600 and $1,200 a month.

With Duluth's rental vacancy rate below 2 percent, a recent study found the city needs to add 1,000 new housing units in the next three years.