Story Published:
Aug 17, 2009
Story Updated:
Aug 17, 2009
WASHINGTON – Fifty tribes have been awarded $100 million in federal stimulus money to bolster housing and stimulate community development.
The money comes from $510 million earmarked for tribal housing by the administration, and more specifically from $255 million put out to competitive bidding. The other half was awarded to nearly 600 tribes and housing entities according to the formula used to allocate federal housing assistance to American Indians each year.
In all, the funds represent an additional 75 percent above tribes’ customary housing block grants of more than $600 million.
Three tribes or tribal housing entities got the largest grants, $5 million each – Cook Inlet Housing Authority of Anchorage, Alaska; the Cherokee Nation, Tahlequah, Okla.; and the Muscogee Creek Nation, Okmulgee, Okla. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, got $4 million, as did the Oglala Lakota Sioux Housing Authority, Pine Ridge, S.D., and the SWA Corp. on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota.
The smallest grant made through the Native American Housing Block Program was for just over $1 million to the Kalispel Tribe in Usk, Wash. Total grants came to $93.2 million.
The remaining $6.9 million came through the Indian Community Development Block Grant Program. The largest grant was $600,000 awarded to several tribes, including the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe of Alaska, the Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria, Loleta, Calif. and the Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of Baraga, Mich. The smallest amount was to the Akiachak Native Community, Akiachak, Alaska, for $299,215.
These funds are to be used for economic development, which can include housing as some ICDBG money goes to fund infrastructure for housing projects.
HUD gave priority during the bidding process to those projects that could quickly obligate and spend the funds awarded, to help stimulate the national economy.
Total funding for the housing block grant stimulus program is $242.2 million and $10 million through the ICDBG; more than $152 million is yet to be awarded through competitive bidding. HUD plans to award the rest of the money on a rolling basis as it finds suitable proposals from tribes.
Wednesday, Aug 26 at 7:59 PM wendell wrote ...
this is not a federal tribe these LUMBEE the issue here folks , lets ,be logical ,once they get recognized they will be able to buy land ,make laws like a sovereign nation hire police ,grab up land call it a reservation under the BIA land acquisitions act and do whatever they want in NC including putting anyone they want on their tribal rolls because the Bill they have in congress forbids the BIA from verifying that the enrolled members are Indians,their bill bar the BIA from verifying Indian
28314041Wednesday, Aug 26 at 7:56 PM wendell wrote ...
how did the lumbee get federal money they here folks ,its irrelevent or how much white blood or black they may have lets not be racist ,be logical ,once they get recognized they will be able to buy land ,make laws like a sovereign nation hire police ,grab up land call it a reservation under the BIA land acquisitions act and do whatever they want in NC including putting anyone they want on their tribal rolls because the Bill they have in congress forbids the BIA from verifying that the enrolled
28313957Thursday, Aug 13 at 6:15 PM katherine vasquez wrote ...
my family is very grateful that the president is at least taking these steps even if they are small.round valley has received over 1,000,00 dollars in housing assistance money for this year, but we were still told that they could not help us. How can this money make a difference for the native people if it is not distributed equally? and how could we make sure that it is if the government does not follow through to make sure that it does?
27718339Thursday, Aug 13 at 3:29 PM BR wrote ...
The Obama administration might- just might- do a little more for the Nations than the previous administration, which thought of us as just another brown skinned problem, but I don't think we should expect much. Native Americans must stand together instead of fighting and bickering among each other. If all nations worked together and united as one, then maybe things would change.
27711169Wednesday, Aug 12 at 11:19 PM katherine vasquez wrote ...
finding this information is an outrage to me and my husbands family.His family are descendants of the round valley tribe, covelo california. they had just told us this week when I checked on our application that they no longer had any program except for the homeless one because they never recieved any money from the government. Round valley has also never given any money out to the tribal members, all of us would like to know who is all the money going to because it is not equally distributed.
27678564Wednesday, Aug 12 at 11:01 AM cm wrote ...
Learn to appreciate that other tribes got housing money. Maybe if we felt and thought that way, instead of saying why do they always get the money it will eventually come our way for being thankful for someone else. Think about it. Why mess it up for them. Be thankful for their families. When it comes to our indian families, we need to be thankful for all of indian country when they get $
27643484Monday, Aug 10 at 5:57 PM Anonymous wrote ...
I have not seen The San Carlos Reservation get anything!!!! Must be political! What about all the other tribes just like San Carlos? Why do Rosebud and Pine Ridge always get the money and recognition?
27560209Monday, Aug 10 at 11:04 AM Old Man Salmon Eater wrote ...
Truly a drop in the bucket Wise One...chump change. The only thing America pays attention to is violence, hmm.
27540256Monday, Aug 10 at 9:43 AM Alan wrote ...
The $100 million is only part of the total $242 million in competitive HUD stimulus funding. There is still 142 million to be awarded.
27536281Sunday, Aug 9 at 11:58 AM Debra Rincon Lopez wrote ...
YES,at least we are getting some kind of help. Other Administrations cared little for Native issues and Housing. Anything will help, but we need much more to offset the past poverty levels. I know it cannot be fixed in 4 yrs. But, they can certainly try? That's all we want.
27510729Friday, Aug 7 at 3:00 PM Omaha wrote ...
You are both right. But,I might add "Tribal Government" plays a role also. Not so good in our case we have a history of corruption. As it stands now. The chairmans wife is "Director of Housing" (non tribal member) what's that tell you?
27441686Friday, Aug 7 at 2:49 PM SUN DOWN wrote ...
MUST BE POLICAL ONLY THE LIBERAL TRIBES GOT THE MONEY.
27441181Thursday, Aug 6 at 12:24 PM Swift Cloud wrote ...
I just pray that the housing money goes where it is needed most. Not in the deep pockets of certain tribal members who only want the funds for their own family members or clan. I know this because I use to live there on Rosebud and my own family I am sure, will have their hand out also. Don't mess it up AGAIN!
27389551Wednesday, Aug 5 at 10:55 PM micmaxe wrote ...
I agree with you, Wise One. The need for Native housing is one that needs to be seriously addressed by the government. Waiting lists are long and some of the most needy wait years for a place to call thier own. Each tribe has members who suffer because we do not have the money to house our People.
27365089Wednesday, Aug 5 at 2:35 AM Wise One wrote ...
Sounds like a lot of money, but only a drop in the bucket of actual need by tribes. With 500 tribes nation-wide and 50 assisted with stimulus funds, I guess the percentage is adequate, given the funding situation - but is it effective in resolving major housing problems of poverty stricken tribes?
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