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S. HRG. 111–756 

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESSING 

HOUSING NEEDS IN OUR INDIAN COMMUNITIES 

JOINT FIELD HEARING 

BEFORE THE

COMMITTEE ON 

BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS 

AND THE

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS 

UNITED STATES SENATE 

ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS 

SECOND SESSION 

ON 

EXAMINING SOLUTIONS TO THE HOUSING NEEDS IN OUR INDIAN 

COMMUNITIES 

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Printed for the use of the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

( 

Available at: http://www.fdsys.gov/ 
COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS 

CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, Connecticut, Chairman 

TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota 

JACK REED, Rhode Island 

CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York 

EVAN BAYH, Indiana 

ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey 

DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii 

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio 

JON TESTER, Montana 

HERB KOHL, Wisconsin 

MARK R. WARNER, Virginia 

JEFF MERKLEY, Oregon 

MICHAEL F. BENNET, Colorado 

RICHARD C. SHELBY, Alabama 

ROBERT F. BENNETT, Utah 

JIM BUNNING, Kentucky 

MIKE CRAPO, Idaho 

BOB CORKER, Tennessee 

JIM DEMINT, South Carolina 

DAVID VITTER, Louisiana 

MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska 

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas 

JUDD GREGG, New Hampshire 

EDWARD SILVERMAN, Staff Director 

WILLIAM D. DUHNKE, Republican Staff Director 

ERIN BARRY, Legislative Assistant 

KENNETH MARTIN, Legislative Assistant 

ELLI WICKS, Staff Assistant and Tribal Liaison 

BETH COOPER, Professional Staff Member 

DAWN RATLIFF, Chief Clerk 

SHELVIN SIMMONS, IT Director 

JIM CROWELL, Editor 

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS 

BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota, Chairman 

JOHN BARRASSO, Wyoming, Vice Chairman 

DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii 

KENT CONRAD, North Dakota 

DANIEL K. AKAKA, Hawaii 

TIM JOHNSON, South Dakota 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

JON TESTER, Montana 

TOM UDALL, New Mexico 

AL FRANKEN, Minnesota 

JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona 

LISA MURKOWSKI, Alaska 

TOM COBURN, M.D., Oklahoma 

MIKE CRAPO, Idaho 

MIKE JOHANNS, Nebraska 

ALLISON C. BINNEY, Majority Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

DAVID A. MULLON, JR., Minority Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

(II)
C O N T E N T S 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 

Page 

Opening statement of Senator Johnson ................................................................. 1 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 20 

WITNESSES 

Shaun Donovan, Secretary, Department of Housing and Urban Development . 2 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 20 

Theresa Two Bulls, President, Oglala Sioux Tribe, and Chairman, Great 

Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association ................................................................ 9 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 26 

Responses to written questions of: 

Senator Johnson ........................................................................................ 50 

Paul Iron Cloud, Chief Executive Officer, Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing ........... 11 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 27 

Responses to written questions of: 

Senator Johnson ........................................................................................ 50 

LeRoy Quinn, Jr., Executive Director, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Housing 

Authority ............................................................................................................... 13 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 32 

Responses to written questions of: 

Senator Johnson ........................................................................................ 51 

Russell Sossamon, Treasurer and Member of the Board, Region IV, National 

American Indian Housing Council ...................................................................... 15 

Prepared statement .......................................................................................... 33 

Responses to written questions of: 

Senator Johnson ........................................................................................ 54 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL SUPPLIED FOR THE RECORD

Statement submitted by Charles W. Murphy, Chairman, Standing Rock Sioux 

Tribe ...................................................................................................................... 58 

Statement submitted by Colleen Steel, Executive Director, Mazaska Owecaso 

Otipi Financial, Inc. ............................................................................................. 59 

Statement submitted by Amos Prue, CEO, Sicangu Wicoti Awayankapi 

Corporation ........................................................................................................... 61 

Statement submitted by Deborah DeSantis, President and CEO, Corporation 

for Supportive Housing ........................................................................................ 63 

(III)

(1) 

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ADDRESSING 

HOUSING NEEDS IN OUR INDIAN COMMUNITIES 

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2010 

U.S. SENATE, 

COMMITTEE ON BANKING, HOUSING, AND URBAN AFFAIRS, 

COMMITTEE ON INDIAN AFFAIRS, 

Rapid City, SD. 

The Committees convened at 10:03 a.m., at the South Dakota 

School of Mines and Technology, Classroom Building Room 204, 

501 East Saint Joseph Street, Rapid City, South Dakota, Senator 

Tim Johnson, presiding. 

OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR TIM JOHNSON 

Senator JOHNSON. Good morning and welcome to this joint hearing of the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee and the 

Senate Indian Affairs Committee. 

To begin this morning, I would like to open with a prayer and 

would like to call on Joann Conroy, a longtime Lutheran minister 

in Rapid City, who also established the first Native American Lutheran Church in South Dakota. She has served in United Ministries here at South Dakota Mines. Joann is currently the Executive Director for the Center for Restorative Justice in Rapid City. 

Please stand. 

Reverend CONROY. Thank you. Let us pray. Oh God, our creator, 

we gather before You today as leaders and people concerned about 

housing and the many issues that are confronting our people. We 

gather to promote our unity, to work together to better their life 

and lives. 

Give to these leaders gathered here the blessing of sound judgment, the skill of making wise decisions, and the patience to act 

in the best interest of all the people. Help the leaders to resolve 

any differences in the interest of justice and to guide those who are 

entrusted with the Administration of Government programs to 

strong and right decisions. Encourage cooperation and unity from 

those who lead and those who promote all things for the good of 

the people. In Your name we pray, amen. 

Senator JOHNSON. Please be seated. 

Thank you, everyone. I would like to call this hearing to order. 

We are here to receive testimony on housing issues in Indian 

Country. I am very pleased to welcome Secretary Shaun Donovan 

of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. We 

are honored to have him visit South Dakota and especially at this 
2 

joint hearing. I would also like to welcome our second panel testifying this morning. In addition, I would like to acknowledge many 

of our Tribal leaders that I see in the audience, some I have known 

for many years, and some new faces, as well. 

Finally, I would also like to thank Dr. Robert Wharton and his 

staff at South Dakota Mines for their efforts in helping to host today’s event. Thank you all, and welcome to this hearing. 

I have requested this hearing to focus on the housing crisis that 

we are facing in Indian Country. Yesterday, I escorted Secretary 

Donovan to the Rosebud Reservation to see conditions firsthand 

that we are facing here in South Dakota. As we all know, four of 

the seven poorest counties in the country are reservation counties 

right here in South Dakota. Todd County, home of the Rosebud 

Reservation, is included in that list. 

The Census Bureau reported in 2008 that Native Americans are 

almost twice as likely to live in poverty as the rest of the population. In the same year, the GAO reported that nearly 46 percent 

of Native American households were overcrowded, a rate that was 

almost three times as high as the rest of the country. 

According to the 2009 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, 

which was produced by Secretary Donovan’s Department, American 

Indians make up 8 percent of the country’s homeless population 

while American Indians make up less than 1 percent of the general 

population. 

These statistics are not news to my friends in Indian Country. 

It is my hope that this joint hearing will provide more focus on the 

housing shortages, overcrowding, homelessness, and infrastructure 

problems our Indian Tribes encounter. It is also my hope that this 

hearing reminds the Federal Government of the treaty and trust 

responsibilities that it owes to our First Americans. I look forward 

to the testimony this morning and again want to welcome everyone 

to this hearing. Thank you. 

Secretary Donovan. 

STATEMENT OF SHAUN DONOVAN, SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT 

OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT 

Secretary DONOVAN. Good morning, Chairman Johnson, and I 

want to thank you very personally for inviting me here today to 

testify before you on ‘‘Innovative Solutions to Housing Needs in our 

Indian Communities.’’ I also want to thank all of the Tribal leaders 

that are here today and to say I look forward to your testimony and 

to hearing your input and thoughts on progress—further progress 

we can make in Indian Country. 

I am pleased to be here, my third trip to Indian Country since 

becoming Secretary last year, because my trips to Montana and 

Alaska and now South Dakota have opened my eyes further to the 

unique challenges faced in these communities, but also how HUD 

investments, when made smartly, can spark community transformation. The lessons from these trips are clear. By bringing Federal and State agencies together with Tribal Governments and private sector stakeholders, we can leverage the resources and partnerships we need to create economic stability and opportunity in 

Indian Country. 
3 

There are many challenges to providing safe and stable housing 

for our First Americans, and today, I would like to discuss what 

HUD and the Obama administration are doing to tackle those challenges through innovation and how, going forward, we can be a better partner. I have submitted written testimony for the record. 

First, let me say that despite the word ‘‘urban’’ in our name, 

HUD has a very real presence in Indian Country. In the past decade, the Indian Housing Block Grant Program built or acquired 

more than 25,000 affordable homes and rehabbed another 52,000 

units. Since it began 10 years ago, the Title 6 Loan Guarantee Program has financed the development or rehab of over 2,000 affordable housing units, while the Section 184 program has guaranteed 

more than $1.6 billion in mortgages for more than 11,000 Indian 

families, all with a foreclosure rate remaining consistently below 1 

percent. 

The Indian Community Development Block Grant has helped 

Tribes build everything from fire stations to day care centers and 

finance infrastructure projects like extending electric service and 

improving water and road systems. And continuing that commitment, just yesterday, I was pleased to announce with you a Notice 

of Funding Availability making available $65 million in competitive 

ICDBG Grants for Tribes to apply for in this fiscal year. 

But, Mr. Chairman, even with these commitments, historically, 

we on the Federal side have not always gotten it right. Despite the 

financial investment, Federal Native American housing policy has 

often failed to meet the needs of Native communities. The Obama 

administration is committed to a new chapter. Let me talk today 

about how we are doing that, first through financial resources, but 

also through innovation and making those investments in a smarter way. 

The Obama administration has made an unprecedented financial 

commitment to Native American housing and Native American 

communities as a whole. That commitment began with the Recovery Act, and I want to say here personally to thank you for your 

leadership in ensuring that the Recovery Act contained $3 billion 

dedicated to meeting the needs of Native American communities 

around the country. That commitment has been followed by a proposed investment of nearly $18.5 billion for next fiscal year in Native American communities, a 5-percent increase over the fiscal 

year 2010 budget in what you know are very difficult financial 

times for the Federal Government. 

Specifically at HUD, you can see that commitment in the $700 

million appropriated for the Native American Housing Block Grant 

in 2010, a $55 million increase and the highest level that program 

has ever seen. And it is reflected in the $510 million in HUD Recovery Act funding invested to fund new construction, acquisition, 

rehabilitation, including energy efficiency and conservation and infrastructure development activities. This historic injection of Federal Recovery Act funding is unprecedented. Combined with the annual Indian Housing Block Grant funds, Tribes received over $1 

billion in housing funding for fiscal year 2009, and the impact of 

these funds goes beyond just housing. It has created jobs, fostered 

community and economic development, and created hope in communities where there sometimes was none. 
4 

Here in South Dakota, where Tribes received $12.9 million in Recovery Act formula funds and $8 million in competitive funds, creating more than 200 jobs in the State, these funds are making a 

real difference. 

There are many examples of the innovative use of these funds, 

whether on the Flandreau Santee Sioux Housing Authority or at 

the Oglala Sioux Housing Authority in Pine Ridge. Just yesterday, 

I had the great privilege to see with you examples of the 15 different projects that the Recovery Act has funded on the Rosebud 

Reservation, and as we saw, the SWA Corporation has used that 

housing investment not just to create decent housing, but also to 

spur economic development by building a plant that will supply not 

only the housing needs of their own reservation, but hopefully surrounding reservations and non-reservation land, as well, creating 

the jobs that are so critical to spur economic development going forward. 

We also met with the Kills In Water family, who are living in 

deplorable conditions with their three young children. And despite 

their adversity, we also heard the hopeful news that Mr. Kills In 

Water had received job training as a result of the Recovery Act, 

and now that he has a full-time job is hopeful of being able to get 

his own home for his family in the coming months as a result of 

Recovery Act and other HUD investments. 

We believe that this is important progress, Mr. Chairman. That 

said, as I mentioned earlier, the challenges with Indian housing 

aren’t only due to a lack of funding. They also stem from a lack 

of understanding when it comes to the needs in Indian Country. 

These unique needs require innovative solutions. That is why HUD 

is embarking on a comprehensive needs study. Studies on housing 

needs in Indian communities have been conducted in the past, but 

most of these studies were limited in scope and the last occurred 

in 1996. 

And so in consultation and collaboration with Tribal leadership 

and our Federal and State partners, HUD is embarking on a comprehensive needs assessment, and not just housing needs. Through 

these partnerships, we will develop a long-term and long overdue 

economic and community reinvestment strategy looking not only at 

housing, but other obstacles, including access to quality health 

care, schools, transportation, and employment, and to prepare, our 

Office of Native American Programs will be holding a series of 

seven regional outreach workshops beginning in late fall of this 

year. We will invite a diverse group, including Tribal leaders, Native housing professionals, other Federal agencies, and community 

service providers. 

If our goal is to put Native communities on a sustainable footing, 

then we must first understand what sustainability means in Indian 

Country, and that is where HUD is targeting its investments. For 

Indian Country, I have learned that building sustainable Native 

communities requires sustainable Native economies, institutions, 

human capital, and legal frameworks that promote economic diversity and leverages other sources of capital. 

In that sense, housing is vitally important. We all know that 

housing has a tremendous impact on a surrounding community. 

But for Tribal communities, this is especially true. I don’t have to 
5 

tell you, Mr. Chairman, how Tribal economies suffer from a lack 

of housing. People move to border towns. Money and resources 

leave the reservation. And perhaps most devastating of all, the reservation’s cultural integrity suffers. 

That is one reason I am excited that Tribes are eligible to apply 

for the Regional Planning Grant Program and the Joint HUD– 

Transportation TIGER II Community Challenge Grant Program 

that are run by HUD’s Office of Sustainable Housing and Communities, which specifically targets rural communities. The fiscal year 

2010 appropriations bill included a $25 million set-aside in the sustainable grants for communities that are 500,000 in population or 

less, and we took it one step further to ensure that some of the 

funding would be awarded to even smaller communities, targeting 

areas with no more than 200,000 in population. 

This is all part of HUD’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the needs 

of our rural communities are being met. Indeed, just yesterday, Mr. 

Chairman, HUD Deputy Secretary Ron Sims attended a roundtable 

discussion with other deputies from the Departments of Agriculture 

and Transportation and the Environmental Protection Agency on 

the issue of community development in rural areas and small 

towns. 

Along the same lines, I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for securing language in the Livable Communities Act that creates a 15 

percent funding set-aside for small communities and specifies that 

Indian Tribes will be eligible to apply for the Comprehensive Planning Grant and the Sustainability Challenge Grant Programs. 

HUD has also collaborated with the Bureau of Indian Affairs to 

streamline its title status report process. Streamlining the title 

process will directly impact home ownership and housing construction, leading to increased community development and an environment more conducive for lending on reservations. Today, HUD and 

the BIA developed a Standardized National Mortgage Transaction 

Process. Six joint training sessions were conducted throughout Indian Country from February 2010 through July 2010. The target 

audiences for this training include HUD and BIA staff, Tribes, 

lenders, and housing practitioners. 

As a result of this collaboration, the average days to record a 

mortgage transaction decreased from 33 days in fiscal year 2009 to 

16 days in fiscal year 2010, or a cut of more than half. The data 

also shows an increase in the percentage of transactions completed 

within 30 days, from 78 percent in 2009 to 87 percent in 2010. This 

may seem like a technical issue, Mr. Chairman, but it has real life 

implications. 

Last year, I had the privilege of visiting the Northern Cheyenne 

Nation in Montana. While there, I spoke with Brian Redstar. He 

told me about the difficulties he encountered in purchasing his 

grandmother’s home. He applied for a Section 184 home loan, and 

because the home was located on trust land, a title status report 

was needed. It took over 21⁄2 years to get a certified title status report from the BIA. 

Based on that experience, I came back to Washington, had my 

team sit down with Ken Salazar’s team, and we have begun to see 

the improvements that I talked about earlier, and I am pleased to 
6 

learn that Brian’s transaction is now complete. I said then that this 

must change, and I am proud to say that we are changing. 

This speaks to a larger point, Mr. Chairman. Whether it is the 

Interagency Infrastructure Task Force or our work with Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, Energy, and the 

EPA to improve financial literacy, use housing as a platform to address health care and domestic violence and weatherize homes to 

increase energy efficiency, the Federal Government’s ability to 

work more smartly across agency silos is essential to our ability to 

promote more sustainable economic development on Indian lands. 

In all of these efforts, success won’t be measured simply by what 

HUD does, but whether we are able to work collaboratively to 

break down Federal barriers that for too long have kept Federal 

funds from effectively reaching the Tribal communities that need 

the most help. 

And so thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for the opportunity to 

appear before you today to discuss the unique challenges in Indian 

Country, and even more importantly, for your ongoing and strong 

leadership to make sure that Indian Country has the resources and 

the partnerships that it deserves. These are difficult times, but together with a clearer understanding of what works, what doesn’t, 

and how we can break down barriers, I believe we can build more 

sustainable reservation economies and ensure that all Native 

Americans have a decent, safe, affordable place to call home. That 

is our goal today. 

And with that, I would be happy to answer any questions you 

may have. Thank you. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, Secretary Donovan. 

We have talked previously about travel eligibility for the HUD– 

VASH program. One of the things that we saw yesterday was the 

Rosebud Sioux Tribe’s soon-to-be-opened homeless shelter that is a 

cooperation of HUD and VA. This would seem to be an ideal place 

for HUD–VASH. Can you discuss why HUD–VASH isn’t available 

to Tribes? Could they be made eligible through regulations, or 

would it need to be done legislatively? 

Secretary DONOVAN. I think it is important that we discuss the 

eligibility of Tribes for VASH as something that might be changed 

in legislation going forward. We are having discussions, as you 

know, right now about the 2011 budget process, and I do believe 

that that could be one way to attack the needs. 

But let me speak for a moment about the broader needs around 

homelessness. Obviously, veterans are an important piece of the 

puzzle. Too large a share of our veterans are homeless. Just as Indian Country and Native Americans make up too large of a share 

of our homeless, the same is true of veterans. But those needs go 

beyond veterans, as well, and that is why this year, for the first 

time ever, we created a targeted program aimed specifically at 

rural homelessness. And so we have $91 million proposed in our 

2011 budget that would be directed at the needs of homelessness 

in rural areas and in Indian Country specifically. 

As you know, homelessness is different in rural areas, whether 

it is, as we saw yesterday, families doubling or tripling or quadrupling up in small homes, the manifestation of homelessness is 

different in Indian Country, and that is why we need different 
7 

kinds of solutions and we are doing that through a targeted rural 

homelessness program for the first time in the country’s history. 

Senator JOHNSON. Do HUD, the VA, and USDA Rural Development adequately coordinate their efforts to support Indian communities? 

Secretary DONOVAN. I think the honest answer to that, Senator, 

is that we have begun to coordinate better, but there is more work 

that we can do. One of the reasons I think this trip has been important and why I look forward to the testimony is to hear more 

specifically about the kind of coordination that we could do. 

I talked in my testimony about the title status report process as 

being one example of where a lack of coordination between HUD 

and BIA stood in the way of economic development and access to 

home ownership. But there is more that we could do. The meeting 

that I talked about that happened yesterday between my Deputy 

Secretary and the Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Transportation and also leadership from EPA is aimed exactly at that kind 

of coordination that you are talking about. 

And specifically, we want to make sure that the sustainable communities investment that we are making that you fought for in the 

Livable Communities Act, that that funding is not only available 

to rural communities, but that we are coordinating better in terms 

of the way that we bring our resources and to make sure that we 

don’t have conflicting rules on the way those programs can be used. 

Senator JOHNSON. After hearing from several housing authorities 

both on and off the reservations, I introduced the Public and Indian 

Housing Crime and Drug Elimination Program Reauthorization 

Act. This would establish a program that was defunded during the 

last Administration. Are there opportunities within current HUD 

programs that could fill the role that this program filled? 

Secretary DONOVAN. As you know, the history here is that in 

2002, the Drug Elimination Grant Program was defunded and that 

the—even though activities that are targeted with the Drug Elimination Grant Program are eligible in the general funding under the 

operating subsidy that we provide, and so those kind of activities 

can continue, there was not an offsetting increase in operating 

funds to make up for the elimination of that program. 

And so our first priority when we came in as an Administration 

was to begin to restore the operating grant to a level that it could 

fund not only the basic needs of running housing for housing authorities, but also to begin to pay for, again, some of the kinds of 

activities that you are talking about. And for the first time in many 

years, we have fully funded the operating subsidy for public housing and we are proposing once again in 2011 to fully fund that operating subsidy, which can make a real difference for housing authorities and being able to cover some of these expenses. 

But I think we can do more than that and I applaud your introduction of this Act. I think we should look at ways to go beyond 

just fully funding the operating subsidy to ensure that there is targeted funding. Too often, as you know, on reservations families do 

not feel safe and we need to make sure that there is funding available to ensure that housing is not only of a decent quality, but protects our children and is safe. 
8 

Senator JOHNSON. Could you talk about the announcement yesterday you made about the block grant program? 

Secretary DONOVAN. Well, as you know so well, housing is only 

one piece of the puzzle when it comes to Native American communities becoming stronger and more sustainable, and the Indian 

Country Development Block Grant Program is our most flexible 

tool to be able to do just what the title would suggest, to build communities. And so whether it is the lack of running water and electricity that we saw at the Kills In Water home, whether it is the 

lack of adequate infrastructure, whether it be roads or other forms 

of infrastructure, in too many Native American communities today, 

or the lack of services like day care that make it difficult for an 

adult to take up work because they need to be home with their 

children because they have no other good alternative, all of those 

activities are eligible through the Indian Country Development 

Block Grant Program. 

I was proud to make the announcement with you that $65 million is now available through that program for this year and we 

look forward to seeing some of the innovative kinds of solutions 

that we saw in Rosebud and that we have seen across South Dakota in applications for that fund. 

Senator JOHNSON. One of the difficulties that our Tribes and 

housing authorities face is budgeting. Many times, our housing authorities have to borrow against their anticipated Indian housing 

block grants. Could you explain the process and time line involved 

in the notification and award process? 

Secretary DONOVAN. This is a concern that we have heard in a 

number of places and we are working hard to ensure that we get 

funding out as quickly as possible. I think you saw with the Recovery Act, for example, that we were able to get funding out, both allocations and actual commitments, very quickly. But one of the barriers that we have is we need to ensure that the formula incorporates all of the needs for each Tribe that are required by the law, 

and that does take some time for us to be able to do those calculations, to make sure we have all of the data, and then to meet the 

needs of the statutory requirements that are in the program. 

I think it would be a useful discussion to have with you and the 

appropriators to look at ways that we might be able to streamline 

that process to ensure that funding gets to all communities around 

the country as quickly as possible. 

Senator JOHNSON. Are there things that you can suggest to fast 

track this process? 

Secretary DONOVAN. What I would propose that we do is that we 

put together, rather than trying to go through all the details here, 

that we could put together for the record a set of suggestions for 

you and the Committee on the specific changes that might improve 

the process and to respond to your question. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, Secretary Donovan, and you are 

invited to join me on the dais. 

Secretary DONOVAN. Thank you. 

Senator JOHNSON. The second panel is invited to come forward. 

This includes the Honorable Theresa Two Bulls, President of the 

Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, and Paul Iron Cloud accompanying President Two Bulls; Mr. LeRoy Quinn, Executive Direc-
9 

tor, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Housing Authority; and Mr. Russell 

Sossamon, Treasurer and Region IV Representative of the National 

American Indian Housing Council Board of Directors. Please come 

forward. 

President Two Bulls, will you begin. 

STATEMENT OF THERESA TWO BULLS, PRESIDENT, OGLALA 

SIOUX TRIBE, AND CHAIRMAN, GREAT PLAINS TRIBAL 

CHAIRMAN’S ASSOCIATION 

Ms. TWO BULLS. Thank you. First of all, I want to say good 

morning, Senator Johnson, Mr. Donovan, and all Members who are 

here, all the organizations. Chairman Johnson, I, Theresa Two 

Bulls, President, appear before you at this hearing on behalf of the 

Oglala Sioux Tribe. 

Before I proceed further, I want to thank you personally for all 

the support and assistance that you have provided for Tribal housing over the years. Your attention and contributions to Indian 

housing have been enormous, and your presence here today is evidence your continued commitment to assisting Tribes in addressing 

our Indian housing needs. 

It will be 50 years ago next month that candidate John F. Kennedy announced during his campaign for the U.S. Presidency that 

he would, if elected, expand the Federal Public Housing Program 

to American Indian Tribes. Less than a year later after his election, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council created the first Indian Housing Authority in the United States and President Kennedy, public 

housing administrators, Oglala Tribal Attorney Richard Shifter, 

and then-Tribal President Johnson Holy Rock gathered in the 

White House Oval Office to sign documents providing the first Indian housing funding in the country to the Oglala Sioux Housing 

Authority. We did bring a picture for everyone to see the signing 

of the document, over here on your right. 

I would like to take a moment, if I may, to recognize in the audience today the presence of Mr. Johnson Holy Rock. President Holy 

Rock was in 1960 and is still today a powerful and straight-talking 

advocate for Tribes and Tribal housing, and we all owe him deep 

gratitude for his important contributions to Indian housing. Members of this Committee, I present President Johnson Holy Rock. 

[Applause.] 

Ms. TWO BULLS. In the past 50 years, through both the Public 

Housing Tribal Program and now the HUD Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act Program, Federal assistance has helped build and modernize over 800,000 Indian housing 

units throughout the United States, including 2,500 new units and 

thousands of modernizations at Pine Ridge. Some of that original 

housing, including the very first Indian housing units in the country, lies just 80 miles south of where we sit today, still standing 

and providing a valuable housing resource for our people. 

Though our Tribe appreciates the assistance that has been provided by the Federal Government, I must state on behalf of my 

Tribe and my Tribal members that the level of Federal assistance 

has been wholly inadequate. Your assistance, I am afraid, has not 

satisfied the treaty and trust responsibilities or obligations of the 
10 

U.S. Government, nor has it resulted in a majority of our low-income Tribal members living in decent, safe, and affordable housing. 

Furthermore, our Tribal members now have to compete in 2010 

with over 450 Tribes, an increase in excess of twice the number of 

recipients in 1996, for a piece of the meager NAHASDA funding 

pie, which in real value has actually decreased in value in the 15 

years since the Federal NAHASDA Housing Program was created 

by Congress. Instead of housing conditions improving for our lowincome Tribal members, they have sadly grown worse over the past 

five decades since President Johnson Holy Rock and John F. Kennedy gathered in the White House to herald the beginning of the 

Federal assistance for Indian housing. 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe does thank the Senate Indian Affairs 

Committee and the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

Committee for holding today’s hearing in the Dakotas. We welcome 

your interest in, number one, better understanding of our needs; 

number two, addressing the often hidden overcrowding that certainly occurs in Indian housing in the Northern Plains; and number three, learning how successful our Tribes have been effective 

in spending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. 

However, I must say, in recent years, the large needs of large 

land-based Tribes like Oglala Sioux Tribe have been marginalized 

in comparison to national housing and, frankly, to many other 

Tribes, as well. We and many other land-based Tribes remain the 

poorest in the United States. Our brave and patriotic Tribal members deserve better and we ask for more help. We simply need 

more funding and we believe it is appropriate and wise that such 

additional funding be provided to only those Tribes with the worst 

housing conditions, and then only if they can demonstrate a capacity to effectively spend such funding. 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe and the Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing 

offer to work with Congress, HUD, and national Tribal associations 

to try to develop this new program under NAHASDA, but the funding for this new initiative should, in our judgment, be in addition 

to current funding for the existing NAHASDA Indian Housing 

Block Grant Programs. 

As you may be aware, Oglala Sioux Tribe and many other large 

land-based Tribes are banding together under a new advocacy 

group known as ‘‘A Coalition for Indian Housing’’ to try to more effectively advocate for some of our particular needs and interests in 

Indian housing. I hope that these Committees will now begin to 

work with this group to find new solutions to improving housing 

conditions on reservations. 

Thank you, Senator Johnson, again, and we are grateful to your 

Committees for coming to Indian Country to better understand 

both our needs and our successes. With your permission, I would 

like to reserve the right to provide additional testimony in the next 

week. I will also have—I am putting on a different hat, not—as 

Chairman of the Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association, we do 

have testimony that we would like to submit for the record. 

Senator JOHNSON. It will be received. 

Ms. TWO BULLS. Thank you. Thank you very much. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, President Two Bulls. 

Mr. Iron Cloud, do you have anything to add? 
11 

STATEMENT OF PAUL IRON CLOUD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE 

OFFICER, OGLALA SIOUX LAKOTA HOUSING 

Mr. IRON CLOUD. Chairman Johnson, it is always nice to see you. 

My name is Paul Iron Cloud. First, I would like to thank both of 

these Committees for holding the Indian Housing field hearing 

here in Rapid City near the Pine Ridge Reservation. As a formal 

Tribal Chairman and current CEO of the Oglala Sioux Lakota 

Housing, it is again an honor and pleasure to come before this 

Committee and provide testimony on housing, an issue of great importance to both Indians and Alaska Natives. 

I, of course, also want to take a moment to express particular appreciation to you, Chairman Johnson. Senator, you have always 

been a friend and a strong advocate for Indian housing and we 

thank you for both arranging the field hearing and for your leadership on Indian housing. 

There are many issues confronting Indian housing. With your 

permission, I will just briefly outline or highlight six of them today. 

Number one, Mr. Chairman, there is a need to reinstate last 

year’s NAHASDA funding. We in Indian Country are afraid that 

most Tribes and other members will be terribly impacted if the 

President’s proposed reduction in NAHASDA Indian Housing Block 

Grants is approved or a 5-percent across-the-board budget reduction is enacted for fiscal year 2011. If either of these proposals is 

to pass, we project that the Pine Ridge—our program alone would 

suffer a devastating $2.9 million cut. 

Number two, we have demonstrated program capacity. The Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing was one of only a few Tribal housing 

programs in the Northern Plains to receive both competitive and 

formula money under the American Recovery and Reinvestment 

Act. We are pleased to say we were successful in utilizing $7.3 million special funding and we did so in record time. Unfortunately, 

in Washington, statements have been passed that Federal Tribal 

housing funds are often not utilized or are slow to be spent. We 

know that this is not true in the case of the Oglala Sioux Housing 

and not for most Indian ARRA recipients. Please assist us, finally, 

and put this to rest, these unfounded statements. 

Number three, there is a terrible overcrowding in our housing. 

Many large land-based Tribes have a strong need for additional 

funding. That need, however, has at times been obscured by traditional practice in taking in our homeless Tribal members and our 

practices have resulted in terrible overcrowding in many of our 

units. Occupancy for a single unit in our program often exceeds 12 

to 15 persons. We welcome your efforts and that of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to understand this 

overcrowding and its impact on families and units. 

Number four, assistance is desperately needed to address violence in the housing. These Committees will recall that earlier this 

year, at both a hearing on the President’s fiscal year 2011 budget 

and a hearing on violence in Indian Country, I and the Oglala 

Sioux Tribe provided testimony regarding violence, gang activities, 

and suicides on our reservation. The growing prevalence of this violence is really attacking and destroying the social structure of our 

reservation, creating unacceptable injuries, deaths, and a fear in 
12 

our communities and undercutting our ability to protect our units 

and tenants. 

It is in many ways a reservation-wide situation, but Oglala Sioux 

Housing, as the primary landlord on the reservation, is uniquely 

impacted. The multitude of solutions will be required if Tribes like 

ours are to have a chance to both respond to and prevent this violence. There is, however, a growing understanding on our part that 

increasing funding in law enforcement, the courts, and housing 

alone will not be enough and the political and the community 

changes will be required to roll back such violence. 

Number five, we believe, Mr. Chairman, that a new program is 

needed to direct new funding to the Tribe and the greatest housing 

needs. Housing needs in Indian Country vary based on Federal 

funding levels and local needs. Many of the most needy programs 

simply never get enough money to really improve their housing. 

Often, these are Tribal housing programs of large land-based 

Tribes, such as Oglala Sioux. As President Two Bulls stated in her 

testimony at this hearing, the Oglala Sioux believes that the time 

has come to develop an additional NAHASDA funding block grant 

program that would additionally target the Tribes most in need. 

Such a program would operate in addition to NAHASDA funding. 

The existing Housing Block Grant provides a floor for funding Indian Country housing that should be maintained. However, in addition to this block grant, a new program should be developed for 

those Tribes with the most need, but funding should go only to 

those that can demonstrate the capacity to efficiently utilize the 

funds. 

Last, number six, I would like to inform you of the new organization, A Coalition for Indian Housing, and its new Housing Report 

Card. ACIH is a new alliance of large land- and treaty-based 

Tribes. Along with our membership in national organizations such 

as the National American Indian Housing Council, Congress of 

American Indians, we in our Tribe have participated in this new 

advocacy group because we believe that large land-based Tribes 

need to have at times their own voice in Indian housing matters 

so that our unique issues can be addressed. 

One idea coming from ACIH is the Housing Report Card. A copy 

is attached to my testimony. ACIH has developed this form as a 

reporting system for Indian housing. The ACIH Report Card is a 

simple, one-page self-reporting information sheet that can be both 

an administrative tool for Indian housing entities and monitoring 

and evaluation documents for Congress. This simple snapshot or 

reporting card we believe can become an important universal evaluation instrument for Indian housing. ACIH is now encouraging its 

members and other Tribal housing programs across the country to 

start using this form on a voluntary basis. 

I have submitted my full written testimony for the record, Mr. 

Chairman. 

Senator JOHNSON. It will be included. 

Mr. IRON CLOUD. I am glad to answer any questions that you 

may have. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, Paul. 

Mr. Quinn. 
13 

STATEMENT OF LEROY QUINN, JR., EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, 

SISSETON WAHPETON OYATE HOUSING AUTHORITY 

Mr. QUINN. Thank you, Senator Johnson, the Honorable Secretary Donovan, and the members that testified before me and our 

audience. On behalf of the Sisseton Wahpeton Sioux Housing Authority and the 13,000 members of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, 

I wish to thank you for giving me the opportunity to share a few 

of our innovative solutions our Housing Authority has taken to address our housing needs. I have served as Executive Director for 

the past 5 years. I am an enrolled member of the Sisseton 

Wahpeton Oyate. 

Our Housing Authority currently owns and manages about 560 

units of affordable housing consisting of 472 units and 88 home 

ownership units. We are a small Housing Authority that operates 

22 housing sites in three counties in Northeast South Dakota. 

Before I discuss some of our innovative solutions that we have 

accomplished this year, I would like to thank Senator Johnson for 

his leadership on Tribal housing issues and helping us develop and 

implement new creative tools necessary to develop culturally relevant, safe, decent, and affordable housing for our Tribal members. 

I also want to thank Senator Johnson and the other Members of 

the Committee for approving the Indian Veterans Housing Act and 

for helping expedite and advance the Responsible Tribal Home 

Ownership Act, known as the HEARTH Act. Both of these bills are 

vital to our Tribe, as we serve many veterans and recognize the 

need to reform the Federal leasing requirements and allow us to 

speed up the leasing process for individual Tribal members, which 

will allow them to get into their new homes much quicker. 

Another bill that I would like to thank Senator Johnson, and I 

know he addressed it earlier with Secretary Donovan, is the Public 

and Indian Housing Drug Elimination Program, which will help us 

reduce illegal drugs in our affordable housing areas. 

I also want to acknowledge the continued efforts of the Committee in our joint task of improving housing conditions for Indians 

across America. I am proud to relate to you today several of the 

innovative solutions we have developed at our Housing Authority 

under the opportunities presented under the Native American 

Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, known as 

NAHASDA. I will provide written testimony for the record that 

asks for more coordination of the Federal agencies that have resources available to American Indians, and that is attached. 

Since NAHASDA became law in 1997, the Housing Authorities 

have developed an excellent working relationship with the South 

Dakota USDA Office of Rural Development and have built 56 subsidized Section 515 units. This is a critical program, because unlike 

NAHASDA, the 515 Program provides rental subsidies to low-income families. We have also collaborated with USDA Rural Development to sensibly apply and receive $2 million in set-aside funds 

to assist in the development of water and waste systems in several 

of our affordable housing communities. We have also built a 7,300- 

square-foot office building for our Administration in cooperation 

with USDA. We recently have been informed that Rural Housing 

Services has set a 5-year goal to provide funding for two-hundred 

504 grants and 150 home loans under the 502 Program. 
14 

In short, we have benefited greatly from our relationship with 

the South Dakota Rural Development Office and their outstanding 

staff. It is my understanding that our relationship with USDA is 

unique and not all Tribal housing programs have enjoyed this successful partnership we have experienced. While this relationship is 

not necessarily innovative, we believe that tribes with significant 

unmet housing and infrastructure needs cannot succeed without 

developing a similar relationship with USDA. 

The second activity our Housing Authority has innovated is the 

creation and capitalization of the Dakota Nation Housing Development Corporation. This Corporation, created in 2005, has successfully developed approximately 50 housing sites designated for affordable housing. In addition, they have successfully applied for 

and built a 24-unit affordable housing complex funded with LowIncome Tax Credits and a 21-unit three-bedroom housing project. 

The third activity I would like to discuss is the creation of T– 

YAMNI, a one-stop home ownership program that represents the 

Housing Authority, Development Corporation, and our Home Buyers Program. This entity is providing support for our Tribal members with financial literacy programs, home buyer education classes, and loan origination assistance, utilizing all lending resources 

available. The program is designed to be an entry way to home 

ownership with resources and support provided by the staff. 

The final innovation I would like to share with you is the Housing Authority’s purchase of a local 29-unit motel. Ten of the units 

are set aside to provide transitional housing for eligible members 

of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. The transitional units are supported by income from the operation of the remaining 19 motel 

units. So far, the project has been a success and is self-supporting. 

I also want to report that our Housing Authority is rehabilitating 

30 of our low-rental units with the stimulus funding we were 

awarded last year. We were able to create several jobs with the 

funding. We are on schedule to complete the rehabilitation project 

in a timely manner and within budget. 

Some of the other accomplishments achieved by the Sisseton 

Wahpeton Housing Authority, that we acquired 38 FEMA trailers 

in the last 3 years. We also obtained three Governors’ homes 

through the BIA HIP Grant. We are in the process of developing 

a Title VI program through the provisions of NAHASDA. All of 

these programs were established to put Tribal members in their 

own homes. 

Again, I thank you for the opportunity to share some of the success stories. I am looking forward to working with you and other 

Members of the Committee as we continue to meet the housing 

needs of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, which includes assisting 

550 families on our current waiting list. 

I will address the needs factor later, but this is the solution factor. Thank you, Mr. Johnson. 

Senator JOHNSON. Mr. Sossamon. 
15 

STATEMENT OF RUSSELL SOSSAMON, TREASURER AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD, REGION IV, NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN HOUSING COUNCIL 

Mr. SOSSAMON. Good morning, Senator Johnson, Secretary Donovan, and I would like to recognize our Tribal leaders here and 

thank you for the opportunity to present today to this Committee. 

My name is Russell Sossamon. I am the Treasurer and a member 

of the Board of Directors or the National American Indian Housing 

Council representing Region IV out of the Southern Plains Region. 

The NAIHC is the only Tribal nonprofit organization dedicated 

solely to advancing housing, physical infrastructure, and economic 

development in Tribal communities throughout the United States, 

the Lower 48 States and Alaska. I am an enrolled member of the 

Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and I serve people as the Executive 

Director of the Choctaw’s Housing Authority. 

First of all, I would like to thank you, Senator, for your commitment to the Indian Tribes and for your efforts to understand the 

treaty obligations of the Federal Government and protect those for 

the Tribes and for your appreciation of self-determination of the 

Tribal Governments. I appreciate you taking the interest in the 

Tribes and really understanding who we are. Thank you. 

I would also like to thank the Committee for holding this field 

hearing here in Rapid City and the Northern Plains, an area that 

is deeply affected by the lack of housing and adequate infrastructure. Of course, through your tours that you spoke of, you see the 

need and the stark reality that exists in our areas. 

While Tribes are very appreciative of the funds that they receive 

under the Native American Housing Act and self-determination, 

out of necessity, we have spent a substantial amount of time, energy, and resources exploring innovative home design and building 

programs. We have to make choices between research and development and meeting immediate Tribal needs that you experienced on 

your trips. So that is why a lot of these efforts are just now reaching fruition over the 10-year period of NAHASDA. That is why I 

think particular attention needs to be paid to the funding levels so 

that we can continue research and development while we meet the 

acute needs that we have. 

The ARRA funding that we received was greatly appreciated. It 

gave us, when we talk about budgeting, it gave us a little flexibility 

in our budget to meet some of those dire needs and continue this 

long-term community development plan, and that is—everyone 

thinks the answer is more money. In this case, the adequate funding really is an investment. It is making the payoff in sustainable 

long-term planning. 

In my oral testimony, I would also just like to highlight a couple 

of the innovations that exist. These are just two examples of many 

across the United States and Alaska as a result of research, development, planning. The two I would like to focus on is, first, the 

Isleta Pueblo of New Mexico and the Puyallup Tribe of Washington 

State. 

After familiarizing myself with these projects, it appears that 

they have—their secret is to apply Tribal principles that are part 

of our heritage, and basically that means just using common sense, 

which a lot of times it was commonly practiced. The Isleta Pueblo 
16 

is utilizing a familiar building layout, local natural resources, and 

local labor to create a green building technique that is easily exportable to other communities. 

The lava block construction project is based on a concept that 

was started in 1996 by Ken Detjen, a retired engineer. Lava blocks, 

which will form a home’s exterior walls, are made out of lava cinder and cement along with other ingredients. Lava rock walls have 

been tested to have an R-value or an insulation value of 50 and can 

withstand up to 300-mile-an-hour winds. The concept was introduced to the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority in 2007 and was well 

received by the Housing Authority and the Tribal Council. 

The lava block project has numerous advantages. The method is 

environmentally friendly in that no drywall or sheetrock is needed 

in the construction process and no insulation is required. Lava rock 

walls are naturally fireproof and soundproof, termite resistant, and 

maintenance-free, and the home will have reduced energy costs because of its efficient design and construction. Labor costs are also 

lower by approximately 50 percent with lava rock homes because 

no specialized training in masonry or any other construction art 

are required. 

In 2008, the Isleta Tribal Council approved the use of Tribal 

funds to designate and create a lava block building machine. A 

Memorandum of Agreement was executed between the Tribe, Habitat for Humanity, and Lava Living LLC in which the Tribe agreed 

to allow its old cinder and gravel plant to be used in the production 

of the lava blocks. In doing so, the Tribe created jobs for its citizens 

and created a mechanism for providing sustainable, energy efficient, affordable homes for their Tribal families. 

On August 26, 2008, the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority held a 

groundbreaking ceremony to launch a home renovation project for 

Tribal members Jose and Mary Keryte. This was the first lava 

block building project in the Pueblo. The plan is now up and running and has created jobs for Tribal members and has been an invaluable resource in creating at least 15 newly efficient homes for 

Tribal members today, and there is a growing waiting list of people 

who want to participate in this program. 

In April of this year, the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority received a Certified Outstanding Achievement Award from the U.S. 

Department of Housing and Urban Development, from their Office 

of Native American Programs, for their project design and resource 

conservation. Soon, the Tribe hopes to explore the idea by selling 

blocks to other Tribes or nearby construction firms—and nearby 

construction firms. 

The Puyallup Tribe, they put—they have roots in the design and 

strategy of the traditional longhouse. This design emulates a traditional rectangular shed-roofed coastal Salish longhouse design utilized by Tribes for centuries. The central feature of the longhouse 

is a central linear common area for gathering and circulation and 

private areas are accessible from the common spaces. The concept, 

created by the Puyallup Tribe using the American Recovery and 

Reinvestment Act funds, fuses this traditional design with a modern townhouse courtyard structure. The project is being constructed on a 4-acre parcel adjacent to 27 existing units and will 

create 10 new units in the first phase. The design will incorporate 
17 

community meeting space, be culturally responsive, and employ 

green building and design techniques. 

As in a traditional longhouse, the modern building configuration 

utilized by the Puyallup Tribe creates a defensible space hierarchy 

of public to private space. Level changes and material modulation 

create a flow and transition from public spaces or common areas 

into the private space. The conscientious design imparts ownership 

to individuals while fostering active use of shared space. The Tribe 

has created both one- and two-story designs, and in both models 

the main floor is handicapped accessible. The one-bedroom units 

are fully accessible. 

In traditional longhouses, the ventilation and illumination were 

provided by removing roof planks. The modern adaptation utilizes 

an open roof over the courtyard to evoke this historic strategy and 

employs an innovative cross-section ventilation air system. Air will 

be drawn through the low windows on the south side of the homes 

and exhausted through the high windows on the north side. The 

same high windows allow daylight to penetrate the space. Some of 

the windows in each of the homes will face the courtyard, a common area, further embracing the traditional concept of community 

living. 

The Puyallup modern design embraces energy efficiency in several ways. The solar orientation is optimized, as all the homes are 

located on an east-west axis so that the windows will have a northern exposure or southern exposure. The homes feature generous 

roof overhangs so that passive solar and daylighting strategies are 

employed for maximum benefit. Compact floor designs are utilized 

as they are easier to heat and cool. Other home features, such as 

appliances, windows, faucets, and lighting, are all energy efficient 

and designed to conserve energy in every way possible. The Tribe 

is also looking forward to the future with the longhouse design as 

they are exploring and researching ways to actually generate onsite energy through renewable sources. 

Both of these projects that I have described are prime examples 

of the types of home building design and innovation taking place 

across Indian Country today. It is our hope that both the Committee present here today and the Tribal leaders, as well as the 

Department of Housing and Urban Development are inspired to 

continue the support of self-determination that was utilized when 

we looked to use local natural resources to create the sustainable 

economies that the Secretaries both have urged. 

And so we also encourage the Committee and the Administration 

to continue with the financial support needed not only to do the 

critical research and development in all of the areas across the 

United States and Alaska, but also adequate funding to meet the 

acute needs we see on a daily basis. 

This concludes my testimony and I would be glad to answer any 

questions. Thank you. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, Mr. Sossamon. 

President Two Bulls, we know that overcrowding is a constant 

problem in the housing on our reservations. Can you describe what 

families are experiencing in those instances and give a rough estimate of how many families are living in overcrowded homes? 

Please pass the microphone down. 
18 

Ms. TWO BULLS. Thank you. According to my Housing Director, 

we estimate at least a third of the homes on the reservation are 

overcrowded, and that also includes not only the HUD housing, but 

also private housing and individual because of the young families 

having nowhere to go, so they stay with their parents or their 

grandparents. So it is common across the reservation. But we estimate it at least a third of the homes on the reservation. 

Senator JOHNSON. That number of homes overcrowded leads to 

black mold and other unhealthy conditions. Mr. Iron Cloud and Mr. 

Quinn, in your best estimate, how many additional housing units 

does the Tribe need to fully house Tribal members? 

Mr. IRON CLOUD. I estimate 4,000 homes at Pine Ridge. 

Senator JOHNSON. Four thousand more? 

Mr. IRON CLOUD. Four thousand more homes. 

Senator JOHNSON. Yes. Mr. Quinn? 

Mr. QUINN. We have a housing fair every June coordinated with 

our Rural Development during Home Buyers Month and the last 

estimate was 400 new houses on our reservation. 

Senator JOHNSON. Mr. Iron Cloud and Mr. Quinn, can you tell 

us about the work being done with community and faith-based organizations on the reservation? 

Mr. IRON CLOUD. This year, we had a conference with faithbased. We had the opportunity to meet with a lot of people that are 

coming in, helping us with different renovations. You know, they 

are well-grouped people that really helped our reservation and that 

took a—you know, we had materials. Some of the faith-based people went into these homes and not even—in not just our homes, but 

individual homes and did renovation work with them. They made 

handicapped accessible. They did ramps. They were very—a group 

that was really out there to help Indian housing. 

Senator JOHNSON. Mr. Quinn. 

Mr. QUINN. For the past 3 years, they have been coming up, I 

think, like, from Georgia and Tennessee, and this last summer, 

they were here from the end of June until the middle of August 

and they painted 15 of our houses for them, both ownership and 

our Housing Authority low-rent units. 

Senator JOHNSON. Mr. Sossamon, is there enough flexibility in 

NAHASDA to coordinate the efforts of Tribally designed housing 

entities with other organizations if the Tribe chooses to do so? Is 

there enough flexibility in NAHASDA? 

Mr. SOSSAMON. Over time, the areas that presented challenges 

and being able to meet the local conditions across the United 

States and Alaska, we have come back to your Committee and you 

have been instrumental in helping us to have legislative corrections, and then we have worked through negotiated rulemaking to 

correct some of the regulatory changes that have been needed to 

allow us to leverage with other funds. But there is still a significant amount of work that needs to be done. 

I think there has been progress made. There are some initial 

steps been taken in the Interagency Agreements, which NAIHC 

played a role in fostering and encouraging the Federal agencies to 

work together to identify these barriers to provide the maximum 

flexibility to the Tribes to allow for self-determination. What works 

in one area is not necessary what the focus in another area is, and 
19 

one size does not fit all. And so we can’t—we find it very difficult 

to work with government agencies that sometimes think seem to 

focus in silos and actually contradict one another and make it very 

difficult for even our Federal partners to be able to work together. 

Senator JOHNSON. Thank you, Mr. Sossamon. 

I would like to thank Secretary Donovan for his testimony and 

visit here to South Dakota. The needs we face in Indian Country 

are great, and I hope this puts a face to this crisis. 

I would also like to thank our second panel, President Two Bulls, 

Paul Iron Cloud, LeRoy Quinn, and Russell Sossamon. Thank you 

for your efforts to improve housing on our reservations in Indian 

communities. 

We have a lot of work ahead of us to fulfill our treaty and trust 

responsibilities, but it is my hope that hearings like this shed light 

on the housing situation our Indian Tribes face. I will continue to 

use my position on the Banking Committee, Appropriations Committee, and Indian Affairs Committee to work toward improving 

the housing on our reservations. 

For the other Members of this Committee, statements and questions for the record may be submitted within 10 days. 

With that, this hearing is adjourned. Thank you. 

[Applause.] 

[Whereupon, at 11:16 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.] 

[Prepared statements, responses to written questions, and additional material supplied for the record follow:] 
20 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR TIM JOHNSON 

Good morning. Welcome to this joint hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and 

Urban Affairs Committee and the Senate Indian Affairs Committee. To begin this 

morning, I would like to open with a prayer and would like to call on Joann Conroy, 

a long-time Lutheran minister in Rapid City, who also established the first Native 

American Lutheran Church in South Dakota. She has served in United Ministries 

here at South Dakota Mines. Joann is currently the Executive Director for the Center for Restorative Justice in Rapid City. Please stand. 

Please be seated. Thank you everyone. I’d like to call this hearing to order. We 

are here to receive testimony on housing issues in Indian Country. I am very 

pleased to welcome Secretary Shaun Donovan of the U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development. We are honored to have him visit South Dakota and especially at this joint hearing. I would also like to welcome our second panel testifying 

this morning. In addition, I would like to acknowledge many of our tribal leaders 

that I see in the audience, some I have known for many years and some new faces 

as well. Finally, I would also like to thank Dr. Robert Wharton and his staff at 

South Dakota Mines for their efforts in helping to host today’s event. Thank you 

all and welcome to this hearing. 

I have requested this hearing to focus on the housing crisis that we are facing 

in Indian Country. Yesterday, I escorted Secretary Donovan to the Rosebud Reservation to see the conditions firsthand that we are facing here in South Dakota. 

As we all know, four of the seven poorest counties in the country are reservation 

counties right here in South Dakota. Todd County, home of the Rosebud Reservation, is included in that list. 

The Census Bureau reported in 2008 that Native Americans are almost twice as 

likely to live in poverty as the rest of the population. In the same year, the GAO 

reported that nearly 46 percent of Native households were overcrowded, a rate that 

was almost three times as high as the rest of the country. According to the 2009 

Annual Homeless Assessment Report, which is produced by Secretary Donovan’s department, American Indians make up 8 percent of the country’s homeless population 

while American Indians make up less than 1 percent of the general population. 

These statistics are not news to my friends in Indian Country. It is my hope that 

this joint hearing will provide more focus on the housing shortages, overcrowding, 

homelessness and infrastructure problems our Indian Tribes encounter. It is also my 

hope that this hearing reminds the Federal Government of the treaty and trust responsibility that it owes to our first Americans. I look forward to the testimony this 

morning and again want to welcome everyone to this hearing. Thank you. 

I would like to thank Secretary Donovan for his testimony and visit here to South 

Dakota. The needs we face in Indian country are great and I hope your visit put 

a face to this crisis. I would also like to thank our second panel. President Two 

Bulls, Paul Iron Cloud, LeRoy Quinn, and Russell Sossamon, thank you for your efforts to improve housing on our reservations and Indian communities. We have a 

lot of work ahead of us to fulfill our treaty and trust responsibilities but it is my 

hope that hearings like this shed light on the housing situation our Indian Tribes 

face. I will continue to use my position on the Banking Committee and Indian Affairs Committee to work toward improving the housing on our reservations. For the 

other Members of the Committees, statements and questions for the record may be 

submitted within 10 days. With that, this hearing is adjourned. Thank you. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SHAUN DONOVAN 

SECRETARY, DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Good morning Chairman Johnson, and Members of the Committees. Thank you 

for inviting me today to testify before you on innovative solutions to housing needs 

in Indian Country. There are many challenges to providing safe and stable housing 

in Indian communities, and today I would like to discuss what HUD and this Administration are doing to tackle those challenges through innovation, and how, 

going forward, we can be a better partner. 

And I am pleased to be here in South Dakota—my third trip to Indian Country 

since becoming Secretary last year. Each of my trips has opened my eyes further 

to the unique challenges faced in these communities—but also how HUD investments could spark community transformation. 

In Montana, I saw firsthand some of the most severe cases of families living in 

overcrowded and substandard housing conditions. 
21 

In Alaska, I witnessed how one neighborhood in decline—with the lowest incomes 

in all of Anchorage, the highest crime rates, and deteriorating homes—could rise 

from the ashes with just a little help. From an investment of $14 million, I saw a 

regional housing authority that leveraged public and private commitments to the 

tune of $100 million, reducing crime, improving schools, and creating opportunity 

for families. 

The lessons from these trips were clear: by bringing Federal and State agencies 

together with tribal governments and private-sector stakeholders, we can leverage 

the resources and partnerships we need to create economic stability and opportunity 

in Indian Country. 

As such, today I will describe HUD’s efforts to do just that. I will provide an overview of the programs HUD’s Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) has available to address the housing needs and challenges in Indian Country. I will also discuss the positive impact that President Obama’s American Recovery and Reinvestment Act has had in these areas; provide an update on the progress of negotiated 

rulemaking with tribal members to implement recent statutory amendments to 

HUD’s Native American housing programs; describe the upcoming Native American 

Housing Needs Study and workshops; and illustrate how the Department is seeking 

to improve the delivery of housing and housing-related services to the families we 

serve. 

A Commitment to Native Communities—ONAP Programs 

Let me review with you the programs HUD has that are specifically geared toward Native Americans. 

HUD administers four programs specifically targeted to American Indian and 

Alaska Native individuals and families. In implementing these programs, the Department recognizes the right of tribal self-governance and the unique relationship 

between the Federal Government and the governments of Indian tribes, established 

by long-standing treaties, court decisions, statutes, Executive Orders, and the 

United States Constitution. There are 564 federally recognized tribes in the Nation 

today, each with its own culture, traditions, and government. The Department 

strives to balance respect for these individual tribes with regulations and procedures 

that ensure accountability and consistency nationwide. 

HUD also administers two programs specifically targeted to Native Hawaiians eligible to reside on the Hawaiian Home Lands. The block grant program for Native 

Hawaiians is administered through the State Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 

and is augmented by a home loan guarantee program. 

Indian Housing Block Grant 

The Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) is ONAP’s largest program, both in 

terms of dollars appropriated and population served. It was authorized by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) in 1996. 

The block grant approach offers each tribe the flexibility to design, implement, and 

administer unique, innovative housing programs, based on local need. Some of these 

local programs would not have been eligible activities under the 1937 Housing Act, 

such as down-payment and other mortgage assistance programs, transitional housing, construction of domestic abuse shelters, and the creation of revolving loan 

funds. 

From Fiscal Year (FY) 1998 through FY2009, the IHBG program received slightly 

more than $7.58 billion, or an average of about $632 million annually. During that 

time, more than 25,000 affordable housing units have been constructed or acquired, 

and more than 52,000 housing units have been rehabilitated. 

Annual IHBGs are awarded to eligible Indian tribes or their tribally designated 

housing entities (TDHE) for a range of affordable housing activities that primarily 

benefit low-income Indian families living on Indian reservations or in other Indian 

service areas. The amount of each grant is based on a formula that considers local 

needs and the number of units developed with 1937 Housing Act funding and currently managed by the tribe or its tribally designated housing entity (TDHE). 

In FY2010, more than $701 million was distributed through the IHBG program 

to about 360 recipients, representing more than 540 tribes, including the Oglala 

Sioux which received $11.5 million in IHBG funds. In total, South Dakota received 

over $38 million of IHBG funds in FY2010. The minimum IHBG in FY2010 was 

$54,019, awarded to 90 tribes. In FY2010, as of July 29, 2010, IHBG recipients had 

built or acquired more than 1,400 affordable housing units and rehabilitated more 

than 1,700. The goal for FY2010 is to build or acquire 2,028 units and rehabilitate 

3,767. 
22 

Title VI—Loan Guarantees 

NAHASDA also authorized the Title VI program, which offers recipients of the 

IHBG (tribes and their TDHEs) a loan guarantee program that encourages longterm projects and the leveraging of a variety of funding sources. Under Title VI, 

HUD can guarantee 95 percent of a loan for affordable housing activities. Borrowers 

pledge a portion of their current and future IHBG funds as security. This program 

has provided an incentive for lenders to get involved in the development of tribal 

housing. 

Since the program began in 2000, ONAP has issued 59 Title VI loan guarantees, 

totaling more than $137 million. The eligible activities are the same as for the 

IHBG program: Indian housing assistance, housing development, housing services, 

housing management services, crime prevention and safety activities, and model activities as approved by HUD. The predominant use of Title VI loans has been the 

construction of housing units-more than 2,000 since the program began-and housing 

infrastructure. 

Section 184—Single Family Home Loan Guarantees 

The Section 184 program was authorized by the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992, as amended. It is a single-family mortgage loan program that 

provides a 100 percent guarantee for private mortgage loans issued to eligible borrowers. Eligible borrowers include American Indian and Alaska Native families and 

individuals, Indian tribes, and TDHEs. There are no income limits. Loans are used 

to purchase, construct, rehabilitate, refinance, or purchase and rehabilitate a home 

located on a reservation or within an Indian area. A one-time, one percent guarantee fee is charged; it can be financed or paid in cash at closing. The maximum 

mortgage term is 30 years. 

In FY2003, 271 Section 184 loans were guaranteed for $27 million. Six years 

later, in FY2009, 2,401 Section 184 loans were guaranteed for $395 million. Since 

the program’s inception in 1995, through June 30, 2010, 11,064 loans were guaranteed, for more than $1.6 billion. The foreclosure rate has consistently remained low 

with a historical default rate under 4 percent. 

Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant (NHHBG) 

The NHHBG program, Title VIn of NAHASDA, was authorized by the Hawaiian 

Home Lands Home Ownership Act of 2000. The Department of Hawaiian Home 

Lands (DHHL) is the sole recipient. The NHHBG is designed to primarily benefit 

low-income Native Hawaiians who are eligible to reside on the Hawaiian Home 

Lands. Eligible activities are the same as for the IHBG program. DHHL provides 

many housing services, including counseling and technical assistance, to prepare 

families for home purchase and ownership. DHHL is also using NHHBG and other 

funds to invest in infrastructure for future housing development. 

FY2002 was the first year the DHHL received funding. Since that time more than 

300 units have been constructed, acquired or rehabilitated with NHHBG funds. The 

program has an average annual appropriation of approximately $9 million. For 

FY2010, the appropriation was $13 million. In FY2009, 49 affordable homes became 

available to eligible Native Hawaiian families through construction (34), acquisition 

(14), and rehabilitation activities (1). 

Section 184A—Native Hawaiian Loan Guarantee Program 

Section 184A was established by Section 514 of the American Home Ownership 

and Economic Opportunity Act of 2000, which amended the Housing and Community Development Act of 1992. The program is similar to Section 184, but is intended for Native Hawaiians eligible to reside on the Hawaiian Home Lands. Appropriations have ranged from $956,000 in FY2002, to $1 million in FY2009. As of June 

2010, the program had guaranteed a total of 87 loans for almost $20 million. 

Indian Community Development Block Grant Program (ICDBG) 

This program was authorized by the Housing and Community Development Act 

of 1974. ICDBG is a competitive program, open to federally recognized tribes and 

certain tribal organizations. Each year, approximately 1 percent of the Community 

Development Block Grant appropriation is set-aside for ICDBG. In FY2010, the 

ICDBG set-aside is $65 million. Funding in recent years has ranged from $71 million to $65 million. About $4 million is set aside each year from the ICDBG fund 

for imminent threats to health and safety. 

Some examples of ICDBG projects include construction of health clinics and other 

public facilities including gymnasiums and cultural centers; housing rehabilitation; 

health and education facilities; infrastructure, including roads, power, water, and 

phone lines; and waste water systems. 
23 

Recovery Act Impacts in Indian Country 

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) into law. I would like to thank the Members of the Committees for their role in providing funds to tribal areas as part of that law. As a result, 

HUD has made a historic investment in Indian Country, including $510 million in 

American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian communities across the 

country. Of that amount: 

• $255 million was distributed to eligible IHBG recipients using the IHBG formula. There were 362 primary recipients, representing 542 tribes. 

• $242,250,000 was awarded to 102 IHBG recipients out of 327 applicants who 

applied through a Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA). 

• $10.2 million was awarded to the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands 

(DHHL) to be distributed through the NHHBG program. 

• An additional $10 million was provided for the ICDBG program through the 

Community Development Fund. The entire amount was awarded to 19 grantees. 

Nationally, as of August 7, 2010, tribes had expended 59 percent of their Recovery 

Act formula funds, and 42 percent of the competitive funds. The Department of Hawaiian Home Lands had spent 35 percent of its Recovery Act Grant. A number of 

tribes have already completed and closed out their Recovery Act Grant. 

Impact on South Dakota Tribes 

The tribes of South Dakota received $12.9 million in Recovery Act formula funds, 

and $8 million in competitive funds (two tribes). Tribes have expended 68 percent 

of the formula funds, well before the deadline. One tribe in South Dakota has expended its entire grant, and completed its project. More than 200 jobs have been 

created by ARRA projects in the State. 

Allow me to briefly describe how this funding is being used in various communities and how it reinforces that while HUD may be seen as an ‘‘urban’’ agency, we 

have a broad reach in some of America’s smallest, most rural places, including Indian Country. 

Cheyenne River Housing Authority, Eagle Butte, South Dakota, received 

$2,116,518 in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to substantially rehabilitate 143 units, moderately rehabilitate 57 units, replace the roof of the maintenance building, complete site work (fencing and sidewalks) on its maintenance 

building, and create temporary construction jobs. To date, renovation of 28 units is 

underway, with a total of 23 units in progress, and 4 units completed. Furnace replacement for 115 units is occurring, with 59 units in progress and 55 units completed. The fencing and sidewalk project is underway. 

The Crow Creek Sioux Tribe, Fort Thompson, South Dakota, received $618,031 in 

Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to rehabilitate 13 rental units with 

Energy Star materials in order to make the units more energy efficient. Two units 

have been completed to date. 

The Flandreau Santee Sioux Housing Authority in Flandreau, South Dakota, received $159,011 in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to provide down 

payment assistance. This project will provide home ownership opportunities to eight 

low-income families in the community. To date, seven families have received downpayment assistance. 

The Lower Brule Housing Authority, Lower Brule, South Dakota, received 

$511,735 in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to substantially rehabilitate nine rental units with the replacement of Energy Star certified materials and 

appliances. Seven units have been completed. 

The Oglala Sioux Housing Authority, Pine Ridge, South Dakota, received 

$4,381,821 in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee has completed the substantial rehabilitation of 124 units, and roof replacement of 150 units, using Energy Star 

certified materials and appliances, and plans were completed for future subdivisions 

and an administration building. 

The Oglala Sioux Housing Authority also received a $4 million competitive Recovery Act grant. The grantee plans to construct 18 units for low-income families using 

Energy Star appliances and materials, and green building techniques. The grantee 

also will develop site infrastructure for future housing projects. To date, construction of 13 units is underway. 

Sicangu Wicoti Awanyakapi (Rosebud), Rosebud, South Dakota, received 

$3,014,581 in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to upgrade the parking lot of the housing authority, upgrade the parking lot of an elderly complex to 

improve accessibility, rehabilitate 10 vacant units, construct a centralized propane 

distribution facility, and develop 10 new rental units. Additionally, solar heat panels 
24 

will be installed in 100 housing units, and a wastewater treatment facility, serving 

90 households, will be upgraded. To date, the parking lot at the housing authority 

is complete, and the one at the elderly complex is 50 percent complete. The rehabilitation of the 10 vacant units is complete; all have Energy Star materials and appliances. Construction is underway for the centralized propane distribution facility and 

the wastewater treatment facility. A contract has been signed for the construction 

of new rental units, and the solar panel project is complete. 

Sicangu Wicoti Awanyakapi also received a $4 million competitive Recovery Act 

grant. The grantee plans to develop site infrastructure (construct/upgrade wastewater treatment, water, and streets) for 65 new housing units. Construction is underway with excavation and rough grading. 

The Sisseton Wahpeton Housing Authority, Sisseton, South Dakota, received 

$1,285,646 in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to rehabilitate 30 rental units. To date, 10 of the 30 units have been completed. 

The Yankton Sioux Housing Authority, Wagner, South Dakota, received $842,392 

in Recovery Act formula funds. The grantee plans to rehabilitate 12 units with Energy Star materials, fund the acquisition of 9 mobile homes from FEMA, and replace 

18 roofs and 11 furnaces. To date, 10 units have been rehabilitated, 9 FEMA trailers 

have been acquired, and 10 energy-efficient furnaces have been installed. 

National Housing Needs 

Despite these unprecedented investments, Mr. Chairman, the truth is that no one 

fully understands the needs in Indian Country—certainly not in the Federal Government. We do know that there are approximately 5 million American Indian and 

Alaska Native people living in the United States, slightly less than half of whom 

live on Indian lands. According to the Millennial Housing Commission’s 2002 report, 

welfare reform has led to many Native Americans moving back to their reservations, 

creating even more of a demand for housing and other basic services. 

Within the last decade, numerous studies have attested to the critical housing and 

economic development needs on tribal lands—though most were limited in scope. 

HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research, using 2000 Census data, determined that, nationwide, almost 543,000 American Indian and Alaska Native households have ‘‘severe housing needs,’’ which are defined as living in conditions that 

are overcrowded, substandard, or cost-burdensome. 

And we know that in many Indian communities, when housing is scarce, instead 

of homelessness, we see overcrowding. Extended families doubling and tripling up 

in modest housing, rather than leaving family members to fend for themselves. According to a Harvard University study in 2002, approximately 40 percent of on-reservation housing is considered inadequate, as compared with roughly 6 percent nationwide. The Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, in its 

Native American Lending Study, published in 2001, identified 17 major barriers to 

capital access, relating to legal infrastructure; government operations; economic, financial, and physical infrastructure; and education and cultural issues. A decade 

later, many of these barriers remain. It is generally accepted that at least 90,000 

Indian families live in either overcrowded or substandard conditions, and there is 

a need for 200,000 new housing units. 

For the last 6 years (FY2004–FY2009), with average annual funding of about 

$622 million, the IHBG program has assisted approximately 7,500 families each 

year by providing the funds for a new home, or substantially rehabilitating an existing home. At the current rate of, assistance, it will be decades before the program 

can ‘‘catch up’’ to the current need. 

Housing Need Study 

Given these challenges and the lack of current data, HUD is about to conduct a 

comprehensive housing needs study to help inform future budget requests and improve program implementation. Our objective is to ensure that the study reflects 

current conditions and needs within Indian Country. The Department’s Office of 

Policy Development and Research will manage the study with input from tribal communities nationwide. 

To prepare for this, HUD’s Office of Native American Programs will hold outreach 

meetings in each of its six regions, and in Hawaii, to ensure that key questions, current conditions and needs are considered. A diverse group will be invited to these 

meetings, including tribal leaders, native housing professionals, and other Federal 

agencies. The meetings are anticipated to start in late fall of this year and continue 

through spring of 2011. 

Through these partnerships, we will work toward developing an economic and 

community reinvestment strategy—looking not only at housing but at other needs, 

including access to quality health care, schools, transportation, and employment. 
25 

Revising HUD’s Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation Policy 

On November 5, 2009, President Obama signed an Executive Memorandum on 

Tribal Consultation (President’s Memorandum) directing all Executive Departments 

and Agencies to engage in regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration 

with tribal officials of federally recognized Indian tribes when developing Federal 

policies that have tribal implications. The President’s Memorandum further directed 

each Federal agency to establish an initial plan of actions to accomplish this by February 3, 2010. By August 2, 2010, and annually thereafter, all Agencies were to report on their progress implementing the action plans. 

In 1994, HUD adopted an American Indian and Alaska Native Policy Statement. 

On June 28, 2001, the Department issued a more comprehensive Tribal Government-to-Government Consultation Policy (66 FR 49784, September 28, 2001) that 

comports with the enhanced consultation and coordination requirements expressed 

in Executive Order 13175. HUD is now reassessing this policy in response to the 

President’s Memorandum, and is revising it, after appropriate consultation with 

tribal government officials. 

The guiding principles that originally shaped HUD’s 2001 Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation Policy remain viable today. HUD is cognizant of the 

unique legal and political relationship that exists between the United States and Indian tribal governments, as established by the U.S. Constitution, treaties, statutes, 

executive orders, and judicial decisions. HUD strives to honor the government-togovernment relationship, promote tribal self-determination, and ensure that communication and consultation between the Department and federally recognized Indian 

tribes is meaningful, and occurs on a regular basis. 

In examining the existing policy, it was determined that minor changes were 

needed to improve it. HUD reached this conclusion based on the comments and recommendations made at the regional Tribal Consultation Policy meetings held 

throughout the country. 

The revised Tribal Consultation Policy will become final after HUD publishes the 

revised version in the Federal Register, reviews all public comments received, and 

incorporates any additional changes. 

Breaking Down Silos To Improve Delivery of Native American Programs 

I understand that the Committees are interested in how HUD programs can further assist in meeting the continued housing need in Indian Country. At the outset, 

it is important to acknowledge the reality of the fundamental challenges to housing 

development that tribes perennially face: the remote, rural location of many tribes; 

the extreme weather conditions in both northern and southern climates that limit 

the building season to only a few months; the high costs associated with obtaining 

and shipping construction materials to remote areas; the dearth of qualified construction companies and skilled labor; the inordinately high cost of infrastructure 

in tribal areas; the need to coordinate among several Federal agencies to complete 

a housing project; and the lack of experienced housing staff on some reservations. 

But there are opportunities to mitigate these and other challenges, and the Department is working with tribes toward that end. One way HUD is seeking to improve services to Indian Country is to coordinate its rural housing efforts by establishing a rural housing working group. Recently, HUD’s Office of Sustainable Communities issued two Notice of Funds Available (NOFAs) for the Regional Planning 

Grant program and the joint HUD-Transportation TIGER II/Community Challenge 

Grant program which included a set aside for rural communities. Tribes were eligible to apply for these grant funds. 

Additionally, I want to thank you, Mr. Chairman, for securing language in the 

Livable. Communities Act that creates a 15 percent funding set-aside for small communities with populations of no more than 200,000 and specifies that Indian tribes 

are eligible applicants for the Comprehensive Planning Grant and the Sustainability 

Challenge Grant programs. 

This month, HUD will meet with tribal representatives for its sixth negotiated 

rulemaking session to implement amendments to NAHASDA enacted in 2008 and 

earlier. This marks the third time HUD has participated in negotiated rulemaking 

with tribal representatives to develop program regulations. This process has helped 

make the programs more flexible, user-friendly and appropriate for Indian Country. 

HUD is also increasing collaboration, both internally and externally, to improve 

program delivery to tribal communities. There are many Federal programs that support housing, health, and social and economic development for Native people. Although short- and long-term cost savings are impossible to project at this time, 

economies of scale should result from enhanced coordination and collaboration. Increasing the dialogue between and within agencies will help ensure that Native 

Americans are truly receiving the support they need from these programs. 
26 

I have partnered with heads of other Federal agencies to visit tribal communities 

in Montana and Alaska. We have met with community leaders to look at issues related to housing, education, transportation, energy, communication infrastructure, 

and agriculture. The ultimate objective is to foster a holistic approach to community 

and economic development. 

The Office of Native American Programs, under the direction of Public and Indian 

Housing Assistant Secretary Sandra Henriquez, continues to collaborate with the 

Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to streamline its Title Status Report (TSR) process. 

Lengthy delays in obtaining a TSR from BIA have hampered the Section 184 Loan 

Guarantee program. HUD and BIA have worked together to streamline activities related to mortgage processing, as well as provide regional trainings to HUD and BIA 

staff. The goal is to create a more efficient TSR system, which would dramatically 

increase Section 184 activity on trust lands. 

This may seem like a technical issue. But streamlining the title process will directly impact home ownership and housing construction, leading to increased community development and an environment more conducive for lending on reservations. 

Mr. Chairman, the Federal Government’s ability to work across agency silos is essential to our ability to promote more sustainable economic development on Indian 

lands—whether it is the interagency Infrastructure Task Force, or our work with 

the Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services and Energy, and the 

EPA to improve financial literacy, use housing as a platform to address health care 

and domestic violence, and weatherize homes to increase energy efficiency. 

In all of these efforts, success won’t be measured simply by what HUD does—but 

whether we’re able to work collaboratively to break down Federal silos that for too 

long have kept Federal funds from reaching the tribal communities that need the 

most help. 

A New Era of Partnership and Consultation 

And so, thank you again, Mr. Chairman, and Members of the Committees, for the 

opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the unique challenges in Indian 

Country. I look forward to working with you on these issues now and in the future. 

I recognize that these are difficult times—and that fostering relationships isn’t 

easy after years of neglect. But together, with a clearer understanding of what 

works, what doesn’t, and how we can break down barriers, I believe we can make 

a difference. 

We can build more sustainable reservation economies and ensure that all Native 

Americans have a decent, safe, affordable place to call home. 

And perhaps most importantly of all, we can remove barriers to opportunity for 

tribal communities across the country. 

That is our goal today. And with that, I would be happy to answer any questions 

you may have. Thank you. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF THERESA TWO BULLS 

PRESIDENT, OGLALA SIOUX TRIBE, AND CHAIRMAN, GREAT PLAINS TRIBAL

CHAIRMAN’S ASSOCIATION

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Chairman Johnson, I, Theresa Two Bulls, President of the Oglala, appear before 

you at this hearing on behalf of the Oglala Sioux Lakota Tribe. Before I proceed 

further I want to thank you personally for all the support and assistance that you 

have provided for tribal housing over the years. Your attention and contributions 

have been enormous and your presence here today is evidence your continued commitment to assisting tribes in addressing our Indian housing needs. 

It will be 50 years ago next month that candidate John F. Kennedy announced 

during his campaign for the U.S. presidency, that he would, if elected, expand the 

Federal public housing program to American Indian tribes. Less than a year later, 

after his election, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council created the first Indian housing 

authority in the United States and President Kennedy, public housing administrators, Oglala tribal attorney Richard Shifter, and then Tribal President Johnson Holy 

Rock gathered in the White House oval office to sign documents providing the first 

Indian housing funding in the country to The Oglala Sioux Housing Authority. 

I would like to take a moment, in may, to recognize in the audience today the 

presence of Mr. Johnson Holy Rock. President Holy Rock was in 1960—and is still 

today—a powerful and straight talking advocate for tribes and tribal housing and 

we all owe him deep gratitude for his important contributions to Indian housing. 
27 

Members of this Committee, President Johnson Holy Rock. [President Holy Rock 

stands.] 

In the past 50 years, through both the Public Housing tribal Program and now 

the HUD Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act Program 

(NAHASDA), Federal assistance has helped build and modernize over a hundred 

thousand Indian housing units throughout the United States, including 2,500 new 

units and thousands of modernizations at Pine Ridge. Some of that original housing, 

including the very first Indian housing units in the country, lies just 80 miles south 

of where we sit today, still standing and providing a valuable housing resource for 

our people. 

Though our Tribe appreciates the assistance that has been provided by the Federal Government, I must state, on behalf of my Tribe and my tribal members, that 

the level of Federal assistance has been wholly inadequate. Your assistance, I am 

afraid, has not satisfied the treaty and trust responsibilities or obligations of the 

United States Government nor has it resulted in a majority of our low-income tribal 

members living in decent, safe, and affordable housing. 

Furthermore, our tribal members now have to compete in 2010 with over 450 

tribes (an increase in excess of twice the number of recipients in 1996) for a piece 

of the meager NAHASDA funding pie, which in real value has actually decreased 

in value in the 15 years since the Federal NAHASDA Housing program was created 

by Congress. Instead of housing conditions improving for our low income tribal 

members, they have sadly grown worse over the past 5 decades since Presidents 

Johnson Holy Rock and John F. Kennedy gathered in the White House to herald 

the beginning of Federal assistance for Indian housing. 

The Oglala Sioux Tribe does thank The Senate Indian Affairs Committee and the 

Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee for holding today’s hearing 

in the Dakotas. We welcome your interest in (1) better understanding of our needs, 

(2) addressing the often hidden overcrowding that certainly occurs in Indian housing 

in the Northern Plains, and (3) learning how successful our tribes have been effective in spending American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. 

However, I must say, in recent years, the enormous needs of large, land-based 

tribes like Oglala Sioux have been marginalized. In comparison to national housing, 

and frankly to many other tribes as well, we and many other, land-based tribes, remain the poorest in the United States. Our brave and patriotic tribal members deserve better and we ask for more help. 

We simply need more funding and we believe, it is appropriate and wise that such 

additional funding be provided to only those tribes with the worst housing conditions and then only if they can demonstrate a capacity to effectively spend such 

funding. The Oglala Sioux Tribe and Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing offer to work 

with Congress, HUD and national tribal associations to try to develop this new program under NAHASDA, but the funding for this new initiative should, in our judgment, be in addition to current funding for the existing NAHASDA Indian Housing 

Block Grants Program. 

As you may be aware, Oglala Sioux and many other large, land-based tribes are 

banding together under a new advocacy group known as ‘‘A Coalition for Indian 

Housing’’ to try to more effectively advocate for some of our particular needs and 

interests in Indian housing. I hope that these Committees will now begin to work 

with this group to find new solutions, improving housing conditions on reservations. 

Thank you, Senator Johnson, again and we are grateful to your Committees for 

coming to Indian country to better understand both our needs and our successes. 

With your permission, I would like to reserve the right to provide additional testimony in the next week. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF PAUL IRON CLOUD 

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, OGLALA SIOUX LAKOTA HOUSING

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Chairman Johnson, it is always nice to see you. My name is Paul Iron Cloud. 

First I would like to thank the Senate Indian Affairs and the Senate Committee on 

Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs for this Indian housing field hearing and for 

holding it here in Rapid City near our Pine Ridge Reservation. As a former Tribal 

Chairman and current CEO of Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing (OSLH), it is again an 

honor and pleasure to come before these Committees and provide testimony on 

housing, an issue of great importance to both Indians and Alaskan Natives. I of 

course also want to take a moment to express particular appreciation to you Chairman Johnson. Senator Johnson, you have always been a friend and strong advocate 
28 

for Indian housing and we thank you for both arranging this field hearing and for 

your leadership on Indian housing. 

There are many issues confronting Indian housing and with your permission I will 

just briefly outline and highlight a few of them today. However, with your permission, I will reserve the right in the coming week, through an amendment, to add 

additional written testimony for the Committee’s consideration. 

1. Need To Reinstate Last Year’s NAHASDA Funding 

We in Indian Country are afraid that most tribes and their members will be terribly impacted if the President’s proposed reduction in the NAHASDA Indian Housing Block Grants is approved or if a 5 percent across-the-board budget reduction is 

enacted for fiscal year 2011. If either of these proposals is to pass, we project that 

at Pine Ridge our program alone would suffer a devastating $2.9 million dollar cut. 

Furthermore, such reductions would negate all of the benefits that we received last 

year through the special American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). We 

need your continued support to keep current IHBG funding at the $700 million dollar level, as well as, seek additional funding of at least another $175 million. 

2. Demonstrated Program Capacity 

Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing was one of only a few tribal housing programs in 

the Northern Plains to receive both competitive and formula funding under the 

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). And we are pleased to say we 

were both most successful in utilizing this $7.3 million special funding and we did 

so in record time. Unfortunately, in Washington, statements have been made in the 

past that Federal tribal housing funds are often not utilized or are slow to be spent. 

We know that this is not true in the case of Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing and not 

for most Indian housing ARRA recipients. Please assist us finally to put to rest 

these unfounded statements. We and most other tribes have demonstrated our capacity to promptly and effectively utilize funding. (See Attachment A.) 

3. Terrible Overcrowding in Our Housing 

Many large, land-based tribes have a strong need for additional funding. That 

need however has at times been obscured by our traditional practice of taking in 

our homeless tribal members and our practices have resulted in terrible overcrowding in many of our units. Occupancy for a single unit in our program often 

exceeds 12 to 15 persons. We welcome your efforts and that of the U.S. Department 

of Housing and Urban Development to understand this overcrowding and its impact 

on families and units. 

4. Assistance Needed To Address Violence in Housing 

These Committees will recall that earlier this year at both a Hearing on the President’s Fiscal Year 2011 Budget and a Hearing on Violence in Indian Country, I and 

Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing, provided testimony regarding violence, gang activities 

and suicides on our reservation. The growing prevalence of this violence is really 

attacking and destroying the social structure of our reservation, creating unacceptable injuries, death and fear in our communities and undercutting our ability to protect our units and tenants. It is in many ways a reservation-wide situation, but Oglala Sioux Lakota Housing, as the primary landlord on the reservation, is uniquely 

impacted. A multitude of solutions will be required if tribes, like ours, are to have 

any chance to both respond to and prevent this violence. There is, however, a growing understanding on our part that increased funding in law enforcement, the courts 

and housing alone will not be enough and that political and community changes will 

also be required to roll back such violence. 

One program that we have sought, and so far have been unsuccessful in getting, 

reauthorization in Indian country, is the Drug Elimination Program. You, Mr. 

Chairman, have been helping us in this fight and ultimately also getting funding 

for the program once it is reauthorized. If reauthorized, this program could again 

become an important and effective prevention and security tool for tribal housing. 

5. A New Program Is Needed To Direct New Funding to the Tribes With the 

Greatest Housing Needs 

Housing needs in Indian country vary and, based on current Federal funding levels and local needs, many of the most needy programs simply never get enough 

money to really improve their housing. Often these are the tribal housing programs 

of large, land-based tribes such as Oglala Sioux. As President Two Bulls stated in 

her testimony at this Hearing, Oglala Sioux and some other similarly situated tribes 

believe that the time has come to develop an additional NAHASDA block grant program that would additionally target the tribes with most need. Such a program 

would operate in addition to the current NAHASDA funding. 
29 

The existing Indian Housing Block Grant Program provides a floor for funding Indian Country housing that should be maintained. However, in addition to these 

block grants, a new program should be developed for those tribes with the most 

need but funding should go only to those that can demonstrate the capacity to efficiently utilize the funds. We understand that to request additional funds, tribes 

have the responsibility and a need to ensure accountability and effective performance. We and other tribes are prepared to work with your staff and others to explore 

how this new targeted funding can be structured and incorporated into the 

NAHASDA program. 

6. Introducing ACIH and Its Housing Reporting Card 

Lastly, I would like to inform you of A Coalition for Indian Housing (ACIH). It 

is a new alliance of large land and treaty based tribes. Along with our membership 

in national organizations such as the National American Indian Housing Association and Congress of American Indians, we and our Tribe are participating in this 

new advocacy group because we believe land-based tribes need to have at times 

their own voice on Indian housing matters so that our unique issues are addressed. 

One idea from ACIH is the attached Housing Reporting Card. ACIH has developed this form as an accurate reporting system for Indian housing. The ACIH Reporting Card is a simple, one page, self-reporting information sheet that can be both 

an administrative tool for Indian housing entities and a monitoring and evaluation 

document for Congress. This simple snapshot or Reporting Card we believe (See Attachment B) or a variation of it, may become an important universal evaluation instrument for Indian housing. ACIH is now encouraging its members and other tribal 

housing programs across the country to start using this form on a voluntary basis. 

Again, thank you to the Indian Affairs and Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs 

Committees for making the effort once again to come out to Indian Country and talk 

with tribes and tribal housing programs. I would be glad to answer any questions 

that you might have. 
30 

Attachment A 
31 

Attachment B 
32 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF LEROY QUINN, JR. 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, SISSETON WAHPETON OYATE HOUSING AUTHORITY

AUGUST 25, 2010 

On behalf of the Sisseton Wahpeton Housing Authority and the 13,000 members 

of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, I wish to thank you for giving me the opportunity 

to share a few of the innovative solutions our Housing Authority has taken to address our housing needs. I have served as the Executive Director of the Sisseton 

Wahpeton Housing Authority in Sisseton, South Dakota, for the past 5 years. I am 

an enrolled member of the Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate. 

Our Housing Authority currently owns and manages about 560 units of affordable 

housing consisting of 472 rental units and 88 home ownership units. We are a small 

Housing Authority that operates 22 housing sites in three (3) counties in Northeast 

South Dakota. 

The mission of our Housing Authority is to strive to provide decent, safe, and sanitary housing for all our tribal members and seek to eradicate substandard housing 

along with eliminating homelessness and increasing affordable housing opportunities through the provision of supportive services and financial assistance programs. 

Before I discuss the innovative solutions we have taken to address our housing 

needs, I want to take this opportunity to thank Senator Johnson for your leadership 

on tribal housing issues and helping us develop and implement new and creative 

tools necessary to develop culturally relevant, safe, decent and affordable housing 

for our tribal members. 

I also want to thank Senator Johnson and the other Members of the Committee 

for approving the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunities Act and for helping expedite and advance the Responsible Tribal Home Ownership Act known as the 

HEARTH Act. Both of these bills are vital to our tribe as we serve many veterans 

and recognize the need to reform the Federal leasing requirements and allow us to 

speed up the leasing process for individual tribal members which will allow them 

to get into their new homes much quicker. Another bill that I would like to thank 

Senator Johnson for sponsoring is the Public and Indian Housing Drug Elimination 

Program which will help us reduce the use of illegal drugs in our affordable housing 

areas. 

I also want to acknowledge the continued efforts of the Committee in our joint 

task of improving housing conditions for Indians across America. I am proud to relate to you today several of the innovative solutions we have developed at our Housing Authority under the opportunities presented under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. I will provide written testimony for the 

record that asks for more coordination of the Federal Agencies that have resources 

available to American Indians. 

Since NAHASDA became law in 1997, the Housing Authority has developed an 

excellent working relationship with the South Dakota USDA office of Rural Development and has built 56 subsidized Section 515 units. This is a critical program because unlike NAHASDA, the 515 program provides rental subsidy to low income 

families. We have also collaborated with USDA Rural Utilities to successfully apply 

for and receive over $2,000,000 in set-aside funds to assist in the development of 

water and waste water systems in several of our new affordable housing developments. We have also built and occupy a 7,300 square foot housing administration 

building built in cooperation with USDA. We were recently informed that Rural 

Housing Services has set a 5 year goal to provide funding for two-hundred, 504 

grants and 150 home loans under the 502 program. In short, we have benefited 

greatly from our relationship with the South Dakota Rural Development office and 

their outstanding staff. It is my understanding that our relationship with USDA is 

unique and not all tribal housing programs have enjoyed the successful partnership 

we have experienced. While this relationship is not necessarily innovative, we believe that tribes with significant unmet housing and infrastructure needs cannot 

succeed without developing a similar relationship with USDA. 

The second activity our Housing Authority has innovated is the creation and capitalization of the Dakota Nation Housing Development Corporation. This corporation, created in 2005, has successfully developed approximately 50 sites designated 

for the development of affordable housing. In addition, they have successfully applied for and built a 24 unit affordable housing complex funded with Low Income 

Housing Tax Credits and a 21 unit three-bedroom housing project. 

The third activity we are involved with was the creation of T Yamni, a one-stop 

home ownership program that represents the Housing Authority, Development Corporation and our Homebuyers Program. This entity is providing support for our tribal members with financial literacy programs, homebuyer education classes and loan 
33 

1There are approximately 564 federally recognized Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages 

in the United States, all of whom are eligible for membership in NAIHC. Other NAIHC members include State-recognized tribes that were deemed eligible for housing assistance under the 

1937 Act and grandfathered in to the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. 

origination assistance utilizing all lending resources available. The program is designed to be an entry way to home ownership with resources and support provided 

by the staff. 

The final innovation I would like to share with you is the Housing Authority’s 

purchase of a local 29 unit motel. Ten of the units are set aside to provide transitional housing for eligible members of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate. The transitional units are supported by income from the operation of the remaining 19 motel 

units. So far, the project has been a success and is self-supporting. 

I also want to report that our Housing Authority is rehabilitating 30 of our low 

rental units with the stimulus funding we were awarded last year. We were able 

to create several jobs with the funding. We are on schedule to complete the rehabilitation project in a timely manner and within budget. 

Thank you again for the opportunity to share some of our success stories. I am 

looking forward to working with you and the other Members of the Committee as 

we continue to meet the housing needs of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate; which includes assisting 550 families on our current housing waiting lists. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF RUSSELL SOSSAMON 

TREASURER AND MEMBER OF THE BOARD, REGION IV, NATIONAL AMERICAN INDIAN

HOUSING COUNCIL

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Introduction 

Good morning, Senator Johnson and distinguished Members of the United States 

Senate Committee on Indian Affairs (SCIA) and the Senate Committee on Banking, 

Housing, and Urban Affairs. I would like to acknowledge and thank the Honorable 

Shaun Donovan, Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban 

Development, for being present today to testify and for visiting Indian Country on 

August 24 to see, first-hand, the living conditions and challenges faced in some of 

the Nation’s poorest tribal communities. The Secretary’s interest in and support of 

Indian Country housing is greatly appreciated. 

My name is Russell Sossamon and I am the Treasurer of and a member of the 

Board of the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC), the only national 

tribal nonprofit organization dedicated solely to advancing housing, physical infrastructure, and economic development in tribal communities in the United States. I 

am also an enrolled member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma and the Executive 

Director of the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority in Hugo, Oklahoma. 

First, I want to thank the Committee for holding this field hearing in Rapid City, 

South Dakota, the heart of Plains Indian Country—an area that is deeply affected 

by the lack of resources to build and maintain adequate, safe, and affordable tribal 

housing. It is my honor to be here to present testimony on behalf of tribal communities across the Nation. 

Background on the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) 

The NAIHC was founded in 1974 and has, for 36 years, served its members by 

providing valuable training and technical assistance (T&TA) to all tribes and tribal 

housing entities; providing information to Congress regarding the issues and challenges that tribes face in terms of housing, infrastructure, and community and economic development; and working with key Federal agencies in an attempt to address such issues and meet such challenges. The membership of NAIHC is expansive, comprised of approximately 271 members representing more than 463 1 tribes 

and tribal housing organizations. The primary goal of NAIHC is to support tribal 

housing entities in their efforts to provide safe, quality, affordable, and culturally 

relevant housing to native people. 

Brief Summary of the Challenges Regarding Housing in Indian Country 

While the country has been experiencing an economic downturn in general, this 

trend is greatly magnified in tribal communities. The national unemployment rate 

has risen and has hopefully passed its peak at an alarming rate of nearly 10 per-
34 

2See, http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm. 

3 Bureau of Indian Affairs Labor Force Report (2005). 

4Many of these reservations are here in the State of South Dakota, which, ironically, has one 

of the lowest unemployment rates in the Nation. On some SD reservations, the unemployment 

rate exceeds 80 percent. 5 United States Census Bureau, American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2008. See, http://www.census.gov. 6 Eligible activities include but are not limited to down-payment assistance, property acquisition, new construction, safety programs, planning and administration, and housing rehabilitation. 

cent; 2 however, that rate does not compare to the unemployment rates in Indian 

Country, which average 49 percent. 3 The highest unemployment rates are right 

here in the Dakotas, on the Plains reservations, where the average unemployment 

rate is 77 percent. 4

Because of the remote locations of many reservations, there is a lack of basic infrastructure and it is often difficult for tribes to identify and pursue economic development opportunities. As a result, the poverty rate in Indian Country is exceedingly 

high at 25.3 percent, nearly three times the national average. 5 These employment 

and economic development challenges exacerbate the housing situation in Indian 

Country. Our first Americans face some of the worst housing and living conditions 

in the country and the availability of affordable, adequate, safe housing in Indian 

Country falls far below that of the general U.S. population. 

• According to the 2000 U.S. Census, nearly 12 percent of Native American 

households lack plumbing compared to 1.2 percent of the general U.S. population. 

• According to 2002 statistics, 90,000 Indian families were homeless or underhoused (meaning overcrowded). 

• On tribal lands, 28 percent of Indian households were found to be overcrowded 

or to lack adequate plumbing and kitchen facilities. The national average is 5.4 

percent. 

• When structures that lack heating and electrical equipment are included, 

roughly 40 percent of reservation housing is considered inadequate, compared 

to 5.9 percent of national households. 

• Seventy percent of the existing housing stock in Indian Country is in need of 

upgrades and repairs, many of them extensive. 

• Less than half of all reservation homes are connected to a sewer system. 

There is already a consensus among many members of Congress, U.S. Department 

of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), tribal leaders, and tribal organizations 

that there is a severe housing shortage in tribal communities; that many homes are, 

as a result, overcrowded; that many of the existing homes are in need of repairs, 

some of them substantial; that many homes lack basic amenities that many of us 

take for granted, such as full kitchens and plumbing; and that at least 200,000 new 

housing units are needed in Indian Country. 

The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act 

In 1996, Congress passed the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) to provide Federal statutory authority to address the 

above-mentioned housing disparities in Indian Country. NAHASDA is the cornerstone for providing housing assistance to low-income Native American families on 

Indian reservations, in Alaska Native villages, and on native Hawaiian Home 

Lands. Since the passage of NAHASDA in 1996 and its funding and implementation 

in 1998, the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG), the primary funding component 

of NAHASDA, has been the single largest source of funding for housing for Native 

Americans on reservations and in Alaska Native villages. 

Administered by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), 

NAHASDA specifies which activities are eligible for funding. 6 Not only do IHBG 

funds support new housing development, acquisition, rehabilitation, and other housing services that are critical for tribal communities; they cover essential planning 

and operating expenses for tribal housing programs. Between 2006 and 2009, a significant portion of IHBG funds, approximately 24 percent, were used for planning, 

administration, housing management, and services. Without critical Federal funding, many tribal housing authorities would be unable to operate. 

Despite the positive developments in Federal law and the impact of NAHASDA, 

the funding it provides is plainly and simply insufficient to meet the existing and, 

in fact, growing housing need in our tribal communities. While NAHASDA funds are 

immensely appreciated by tribes and are tremendously helpful in beginning to meet 
35 

7http://www.indiancountrytoday.com/living/80707512.html, 1/8/2010. 

8This includes mortgages made to Native Americans both on and off reservations, as the 

study did not distinguish between the two. Id. 9 Id. 

tribal housing needs, they have never, in the history of the program, been sufficient 

to meet all of the basic housing needs of Indian tribes or to accomplish the purposes 

for which NAHASDA was designed. Like many Government programs, it is consistently and continuously underfunded. Therefore, tribes have been forced to think outside of the box and come up with unique and innovative tools to meet the housing 

needs in their communities. 

Innovative Tribal Housing Programs 

Out of sheer necessity and in the interest of promoting tribal self-determination 

and self-governance, tribes across the Nation have begun developing innovative programs that complement NAHASDA programs in order to meet the tremendous housing backlog in Indian Country. Such developments generally fall into two categories: 

financing innovations and actual program or housing development innovations. I 

will offer examples of innovations in each category in my testimony for the Committees’ review and consideration. 

Financing Innovations 

Problems With Tribal Access to Traditional Home Financing Options 

As recently as a little over a decade ago, few lenders made mortgages on Indian 

reservations. 7 Mortgages on reservations are complicated by various issues, particularly land title status. On many reservations, land is held in trust by the United 

States for the benefit of the tribe as a whole or for the benefit of an individual tribal 

member. The lack of ownership of the full ‘‘bundle’’ of property rights, otherwise 

known as fee simple absolute title, has long been a deterrent to real estate investment in Indian Country. Therefore, the market functions differently in Indian Country than it functions anywhere else in the country. Much like the aforementioned 

economic factors, the mortgage and real estate investment factors that plague the 

rest of the country are greatly magnified in tribal communities. 

During a 5 year period in the 1990s (1992–1996), a Government Accountability 

Office (GAO) study could find just 91 mortgages made on the more than 300 reservations that constitute United States Indian Country. Those 91 mortgages were 

made to members of two tribes, the Tulalip in Washington State and the Wisconsin 

Oneida, which had forged relationships with local banks. Though the numbers improved by 1999 to approximately 471 mortgages that were closed in Indian areas, 

the average was still less than one per federally recognized tribe. Now, 11 years 

later, the situation is not much different. 

Since the mortgage peak in 2005, mortgages to native people, one of the most underserved if not the most underserved population in the country, have fallen by 

more than two-thirds, according to data collected pursuant to the 2008 Home Mortgage Disclosure Act. 8 This is due, in large part, to the lack of a traditional mortgage 

market in Indian Country. During the past few decades, a majority of the mortgages 

extended to tribal members were underwritten by ‘‘subprime’’ lenders. Because of 

the current mortgage crisis, the subprime lending market has virtually ceased to 

exist and, as a result, the number of mortgages extended to tribal members has 

dropped dramatically. The stark reality is that loans to Native Americans went from 

$51.6 billion in 2006, just after the real estate market peak, to barely $17.5 billion 

in 2008. 9

United States Housing and Urban Development Section 184 Indian Home Loan Program 

The HUD Section 184 program is a mortgage loan product designed to resemble 

a conventional, or private, housing loan program. There are no income limits for the 

Section 184 program. Initially, the program gained acceptance in areas such as 

Oklahoma and Alaska, where much of the property in Indian areas has passed out 

of trust status and into ‘‘fee’’ status, meaning that the Federal Government no 

longer holds title to the individual parcel for the benefit of the individual tribal 

member. Over time, the program has gained some traction on trust lands. Because 

the Section 184 Indian Home Loan program is guaranteed by the Federal Government, the program has provided much-needed access to capital to many individual 

natives that might otherwise find home financing difficult. The Section 184 program 

is the most successful Indian Country mortgage program. However, it should be 

noted that fewer than 20 percent of the Section 184 loans made to tribal members 

have been made on tribal trust or individual allotment land. Of the 11,000 Section 
36 

184 loans, 9,034 have been made on fee simple land. More than half of these loans 

have been made in Alaska and Oklahoma, and nearly all of them were made on fee 

simple land rather than trust land. 

Title VI Tribal Housing Activities Loan Guarantee Program 

Under Title VI of NAHASDA, HUD is authorized to guarantee notes or other obligations issued by Indian tribes, or tribal housing entities, if approved by the tribe, 

for the purpose of financing affordable housing activities as described in Section 202 

of NAHASDA. Eligible borrowers must be a tribe or a tribal housing entity that is 

an IHBG program recipient. IHBG funds may be used as security for the guarantee 

or other obligation. The objectives of the program are to enhance the development 

of affordable housing activities, increase access to capital to further economic 

growth, and encourage the participation, in the financing of tribal housing programs, of financial institutions that do not normally serve tribal areas. 

Creating a Nonprofit To Enhance Access to Funding Opportunities 

Some tribes, such as the Ho-Chunk of Wisconsin, have formed 501(c)(3) nonprofit 

corporations for the purpose of establishing an independent housing agency that 

could access additional sources of housing funding. For NAHASDA purposes, tribal 

departments and governments must endorse the 501(c)(3) concept. The structure of 

any housing entity has pros and cons; nonprofits are no different. Pros include organizational autonomy, enhanced nonprofit relationships, flexibility of leveraging and 

financing, a limitation on tribal liability, being able to serve as a housing developer, 

and the ability to receive tax-free donations. Cons may include less financial support 

from the tribe, fewer educational opportunities, a lessened ability to build capacity, 

and added paperwork and Government scrutiny. 

Forming a 501(c)(3) is a multistep process. First, the concept must be endorsed 

by the tribe’s governing body. Once the concept is sanctioned by the tribal government, a charter must be developed. Once developed, it must be submitted to and 

approved by the tribe. Once approved and chartered, the nonprofit must go through 

the somewhat extensive process of IRS approval as a nonprofit entity. 

Based on the Ho-Chunk experience, perhaps the most difficult part of operating 

a tribal nonprofit housing entity is striking a balance between tribal government’s 

support of the housing entity and the nonprofit’s independence. On the other hand, 

one of the most persuasive reasons to pursue such an option is increased access to 

a variety of funding possibilities and a greater ability to serve the individual housing needs of tribal members. 

Tribal Use of Low Income Housing Tax Credits 

The Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Act was authorized as a rental program in the 1986 Federal tax code and has been utilized by several tribes to offer 

rent-to-own opportunities to their members. Under the program, in return for providing funds to help developers or builders renovate housing for low income households, those who invest in tax credit projects receive a credit against Federal taxes 

owed. 

The Salish-Kootenai Housing Authority in Pablo, Montana, is one of the pioneer 

tribes in this area. It used the LIHTC Act to finance a 24-unit lease-to-purchase 

housing development. After 15 years of occupancy, residents may purchase their individual units. Other tribes are utilizing similar approaches with the LIHTC program and achieving some degree of success. 

One limitation on this program that has received national attention at NAIHC 

and National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) conferences is a limitation on 

tribal access to this program because of how program benefits are disseminated by 

the Federal Government. The tax credits are distributed via formula to the States, 

and the access to the credits depends entirely on the relationship between States 

and tribes. Some States do not cooperate and share with tribal communities. This 

issue has highlighted the need for tribal set-asides in any Federal program that is 

designed to address low income housing needs. Tribal members are often among the 

neediest of the needy, yet their access to effective Federal low income housing programs may be barred by the States when they have the authority to make determinations about how funds are distributed. Tribal set-asides should always be a 

consideration in funding such programs. 

Leveraging Funds 

Leveraging funds is simply investing with borrowed money in a way that amplifies potential gains. Tribes are increasingly exploring innovative ways to utilize 

NAHASDA grant funds, combined with tribal funds and other resources, to maximize housing project outputs. The passage of NAHASDA in 1996 and its funding 

in 1998 have spurred several tribes into exploring creative partnerships with lend-
37 

10Geothermal heat pumps (GHPs) are a relatively new technology that can save home and 

business owners money. These ground-source heat pumps use the natural heat storage capacity 

of the earth or ground water to provide energy efficient heating and cooling. GHPs should not 

be confused with air-source heat pumps that rely on heated air. They use the relatively constant 

temperature of the ground or water several feet below the earth’s surface as source of heating 

and cooling. Geothermal heat pumps are appropriate for retrofit or new homes or business locations, where both heating and cooling are desired. In addition to heating and cooling, geothermal 

heat pumps can provide domestic hot water. They can be used for virtually any size home or 

lot in any region of the United States. 

ers or utilizing existing funds to enhance the effectiveness, efficiency, and success 

of housing projects. 

Bay Mills Housing Authority Tri-Party Agreement: The Bay Mills Housing Authority in Michigan has a tri-party agreement that includes the Central Savings Bank 

as a partner. The bank can offer the HUD Section 184 loan program, United States 

Department of Agriculture Rural Development loans, or conventional loans to members of the tribe. The tribe hired a tribal member who is a former banker to provide 

credit and home ownership counseling to prospective borrowers. NAHASDA funds 

are used to provide down payment assistance of up to 10 percent of the loan (not 

to exceed $8,000) to families with incomes at or below 80 percent of the area median. The tribe provides similar down payment assistance to families with higher 

incomes. At least 15 loans have been processed under this innovative program. 

White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT) Project: For the first time, funding for an 

Indian Country project is being provided by a blend of NAHASDA grant funds, Section 184 guarantees, and tribally issued tax-exempt bonds. The 250-unit single-family housing project is being sponsored by the WMAT but will initially be owned by 

the White Mountain Apache Housing Authority. When completed, the project will 

provide long-term rentals with the housing entity as lessor. Each family’s ability to 

pay will be assessed and the amortized debt service will be attributable to each 

home. Under the program, tenants will have the opportunity to purchase their 

units. 

Saginaw Chippewa Tribe—Assignment of Per Capita Payments: The Saginaw 

Chippewa Tribe is one of a growing number of tribes that has utilized income 

gained from profitable gaming operations to enhance home ownership opportunities 

for tribal members. The Tribal Council, the tribe’s governing entity, recently approved a resolution authorizing gaming profit payments that would normally be 

paid to an individual tribal member (referred to as tribal member per capita payments) to be used to secure mortgage loan payments. Under the resolution, leasehold mortgage payments are secured by the tribe through the assignment of per 

capita payments from the tribal member. An agreement is executed and the per capita payments are direct deposited to a restricted savings account. The local bank 

partner assisting with development and implementation of this program, Isabella 

Bank and Trust, deducts the mortgage and escrowed insurance payments from the 

account each month. The actual application and underwriting process is extensive 

and is managed by the tribal housing office. As the tribe has a fully staffed loan 

and credit department, licensed realtors, complete title work on-site, and full credit 

and budget counseling services, the tribal housing office is able to provide tribal 

members complete homebuyer and home improvement financial services. 

Program Innovations 

In addition to exploring innovative financing options, tribes have spent substantial time, energy, and resources exploring innovative home design and building programs. The following section highlights a few tribes’ program successes that could 

serve as models for other communities. 

Rosebud Sioux Manufactures Its Own Energy Efficient Tribal Homes 

Almost a decade ago, the Rosebud Sioux tribe had a revolutionary idea: why not 

manufacture tribal homes ourselves, using tribal facilities and tribal labor? That 

germ of an idea has grown to fruition this year. Though it was not an easy road 

and has taken years of creative financing and hard work, the project, managed by 

Sicangu Wicoti Awayankapi (SWA) Corporation, a tribally owned subsidiary, is now 

a reality. The tribe is poised to roll out five complete tribal homes using American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds and seven homes using Bureau of Indian Affairs Housing Improvement Program (HIP) funds in the imminent future. 

Moreover, rather than being stick-built on home sites, the homes will be built 

from scratch in the SWA home building facility. The facility was only recently completed and is energy efficient. It uses geothermal heating and cooling technology, 10

which has brought the total monthly costs of heating and cooling the entire facility, 

which is sizable, down to approximately $50 per month. The building is air powered 
38 

11See, Appendix A hereto for photographs of this project. 12The ‘‘R-value’’ is defined as a measure of the capacity of a material, such as insulation, to 

impede heat flow, with increasing values indicating a greater capacity. 13See, Appendix B hereto for a photographic illustration of this project. 

and the homes will move through it on air casters as they are being produced. The 

facility is capable of producing approximately six homes at a time, each at a different stage of production. 

While the homes are being manufactured, a contractor is busy developing the infrastructure and home sites. When both processes are complete, a home will simply 

be loaded onto a truck, delivered, set up, and ready for occupancy. 

The tribe will soon have approximately 76 home sites developed and ready for use. 

The tribe’s wastewater treatment facility is being updated, and such upgrades 

should be completed by November 2010. The tribe is hoping to receive funding for 

an additional 15 homes through a low-income housing tax credit project and is actively pursuing other funds to develop houses for the planned sites. When the building facility is fully up and running, the SWA anticipates that the home building corporation will provide 15–20 full-time jobs to tribal members. 

Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority ‘‘Lava Block Homes’’ 11

The Isleta Pueblo, located in central New Mexico, is utilizing a familiar building 

layout, local natural resources, and local labor to create a green building technique 

that is easily exportable to other communities. The ‘‘Lava Block Construction’’ 

project is based on a concept started in 1996 by Ken Detjen, a retired engineer. 

Lava blocks, which will form a home’s exterior walls, are made out of lava cinder 

and cement, along with other ingredients. Lava rock walls have been tested to have 

an R-value 12 of 50 and can withstand winds of up to 300 miles per hour. The concept was introduced to the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority in 2007 and was wellreceived by the housing authority and the tribal council. 

The lava block project has numerous advantages. The method is environmentally 

friendly in that no drywall or sheetrock is needed in the construction process; no 

insulation is required; lava rock walls are naturally fire proof, sound proof, termite 

resistant, and maintenance free; and the home will have reduced energy costs because of its efficient design and construction. Labor costs are also lower, by roughly 

50 percent, with lava rock homes because no specialized training in masonry or any 

other construction art is required. 

In 2008, the Isleta Tribal Council approved the use of tribal funds to design and 

create a lava block building machine. A Memorandum of Agreement was executed 

between the tribe, Habitat for Humanity, and Lava Living, LLC, in which the tribe 

agreed to allow its old cinder and gravel plant to be used for the production of lava 

blocks. 

In doing so, the tribe created jobs for its citizens and created a mechanism for 

providing sustainable, energy efficient, affordable homes for tribal families. On August 26, 2008, the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority held a ground-breaking ceremony to launch a home renovation project for tribal members Jose and Mary 

Keryte. This is the first lava block building project in the pueblo. It is expected to 

be the first of many and the tribe is already in discussion with other tribes to market the lava rock to other reservations. 

Now, just 2 years after the ground-breaking ceremony, the tribe has made substantial progress in building and enhancing the lava block project. The plant is now 

up and running, has created jobs for tribal members, and has been an invaluable 

resource in creating at least 15 energy-efficient homes for tribal members. There is 

a waiting list for people who want to participate in the program. 

In April of this year, the Isleta Pueblo Housing Authority received a ‘‘Certificate 

of Outstanding Achievement’’ from the United States Department of Housing and 

Urban Development’s Office of Native American Programs, for ‘‘project design and 

resource conservation.’’ Soon, the tribe hopes to export the idea by selling blocks to 

other tribes or construction firms. 

Puyallup Tribal Housing Authority Longhouse Design Strategy 13

The Puyallup ‘‘Longhouse’’ design for homes emulates the traditional rectangular, 

shed-roofed coastal Salish longhouses utilized by tribes for centuries. A central feature of a longhouse is a central, linear common area for gathering and circulation, 

and private areas are accessible from the common space. The concept created by the 

Puyallup Tribe using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds fuses 

this traditional design with a modern townhouse courtyard structure. The project 

is being constructed on a 4-acre parcel adjacent to 27 existing units and will create 

10 new housing units in Phase I of the project. The design will incorporate commu-
39 

14Photovoltaic means that a material is capable of producing a voltage when exposed to radiant energy, especially light. 

nity meeting space, be culturally responsive, and employ green building and design 

techniques. 

As in a traditional longhouse, the modern building configuration utilized by the 

Puyallup tribe creates a ‘‘defensible space’’ hierarchy of public to private space. 

Level changes and material modulation create a flow and transition from public 

spaces, or common areas, into private space. The conscientious design imparts ownership to individuals while fostering active use of shared space. The tribe has created both one and two-story designs, and in both models the main floor is handicap 

accessible. The one bedroom units are fully accessible. 

In traditional longhouses, ventilation and illumination were provided by removing 

roof planks. The modern adaptation utilizes an open roof over the courtyard to 

evoke this historic strategy and employs an innovative cross-section ventilation system. Air will be drawn through the low windows on the south side of the homes 

and exhausted through the high windows on the north. The same high windows 

allow daylight to penetrate the spaces. Some of the windows in each home will face 

the courtyard, a common area, further embracing the traditional concept of communal living and sharing space. 

The Puyallup’s modern design embraces energy efficiency in several ways. Solar 

orientation is optimized, as all homes are located on an east/west axis so that windows will have a northern or southern exposure. The homes feature generous roof 

overhangs so that passive solar and day lighting strategies are employed for maximum benefit. Compact floor plans are utilized, as they are easier to heat and cool. 

Other home features, such as the appliances, windows, faucets, and lighting, are energy efficient, designed to conserve energy in every way possible. 

The tribe is also looking toward the future with the longhouse design and hopes 

that someday the units will actually generate energy on-site. The tribe is making 

every unit solar-ready and is looking toward utilizing solar hot water and photovoltaic 14 panels in the future. 

Conclusion 

Given the funding constraints in the tribal housing arena and the need to not only 

maintain existing units but keep up with growing tribal populations and meet the 

tremendous existing housing backlog, tribes have, out of necessity, been very creative in crafting innovative solutions to meet their unique housing needs. Some innovations are in the form of utilizing nontraditional financing mechanisms or 

leveraging limited financial resources to realize their maximum benefit. Other innovations are in the actual design and building arena. 

In spite of the forward movement detailed herein, Federal funding under 

NAHASDA, including the Indian Housing Block Grant program, the Indian Community Development Block Grant program, and the provision of invaluable Training 

and Technical Assistance to help tribes develop, enhance, manage, and improve tribal housing programs, is essential and cannot be overstated. One of the important 

functions that the T&TA provided by NAIHC serves is to provide a forum in which 

to share such innovations among tribal communities. We do so with hope that such 

strategies might be more broadly adapted and utilized. 

Thank you, Senator Johnson and distinguished members of the Senate Committee 

on Indian Affairs and the Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee, for allowing us to testify here today regarding potential innovative solutions to meeting 

the overwhelming housing needs in tribal communities. Your continued support of 

tribal communities is truly appreciated, and the NAIHC is eager to work with you 

and your professional staff on any and all issues pertaining to tribal housing programs, living conditions for America’s indigenous people, and ways to meet the 

growing housing needs in Indian Country. Again, I express a heartfelt thank you 

to Secretary Donovan for his interest in Indian Country housing conditions and his 

willingness to be here and testify today. 

This concludes my testimony. I would be glad to answer any questions you may 

have. 
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RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR JOHNSON 

FROM THERESA TWO BULLS 

Q.1. As President of the largest tribe in South Dakota and Chairwoman of the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association, you 

have worked to improve the quality of life for tribal members. How 

have positive changes in tribal members’ housing situations affected other aspects of their lives? 

A.1. Housing is a basic human need. Tribal members who do not 

have homes cannot maintain jobs to provide for their families. Our 

children cannot attend school regularly when they do not have a 

place to live. The individuals who are positively impacted by having a place to live are more likely to keep their jobs and their children are more successful at school. The housing situation at Pine 

Ridge has a tremendous impact on our society at large. Conditions 

such as homelessness and overcrowding increase criminal activity. 

Lack of housing also takes tribal members away from our reservation. The positive impacts of providing homes for tribal members 

are felt throughout the entire reservation. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR JOHNSON 

FROM PAUL IRON CLOUD 

Q.1. Paul, you have been an advocate for the Public and Indian 

Housing Drug Elimination Program. How did the original program 

benefit members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe? 

A.1. The original program primarily benefited the Oglala Sioux 

Tribe through education. The program provided funding that allowed us to reach out to the children and young adults at Pine 

Ridge to teach them about the dangers of drug use and criminal 

activity. When we had the drug elimination program funding we 

also used the funding to give our younger tribal members after 

school activities, and alternatives for the youth other than just 

hanging around. We used the funding for sporting activities and allowed our young tribal members opportunities to attend local and 

regional sporting competitions. It also helped improve safety for the 

members of the tribe. We desperately need this program again to 

help combat crime and drug use on our reservations. 

Q.2. In your written testimony, you mention the need for a snapshot of a housing authority that is currently unavailable despite 

rigorous reporting standards from Federal agencies. How could the 

current reporting be streamlined to maintain accountability while 

also providing an accurate picture of the state of housing? 

A.2. At this time the APR and other monitoring processes are filled 

with a lot of program information and issues such that it becomes 

impossible to be an effective way of getting a snapshot of a single 

program or to assemble uniform data for a national picture. 

I believe a separate reporting card or system that can be limited 

to a single page of questions and answers is essential to make a 

snapshot of housing authority operations successful. One very helpful form Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing is currently using is called 

the ‘‘Low Income Tribal Housing Report Card.’’ This report card 

was developed with a number of tribes and some programs have 
51 

begun to use it voluntarily. It has also been endorsed by A Coalition for Indian Housing. 

This report card strives to create individual snapshots of each 

housing authority, but the information it contains could also be 

used to compile a program wide overview. It allows TDHE’s to 

summarize their units, activities, and their budget in a few lines. 

On the local level the report card gives TDHE’s an opportunity to 

effectively communicate information to tribes, employees and other 

interested parties and stakeholders. Another benefit of the report 

card is that it could allow HUD to develop nationwide data as well 

as regional and statewide data. This is something they have had 

great difficulty accomplishing in the past. The report card can also 

be shared with Congress where evaluation of the data could be 

used to understand need operations and performance. 

The report card shows how TDHE’s are spending their funds, but 

it also shows their progress in expending those funds. Using the 

ARRA reporting system as a model, the report card tracks funds 

that are committed and funds that have been expended. One of the 

best ways to show progress is to first see how quickly funds are 

committed and how quickly they are expended. An effective reporting system needs to show that. It also provides data from the current year and the previous year since sometimes funds will not always be committed in the first year of the program, depending on 

when funds are allocated. Funds may not be expended until the following fiscal year. It would be helpful in monitoring progress and 

utilization of fund to look over a 2-year cycle. 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR JOHNSON 

FROM LEROY QUINN, JR. 

Q.1. There are several Federal agencies that fund projects on reservations throughout the country. Can you talk about how regulations differ for that funding and how, if at all, it could be streamlined? 

A.1. The two (2) Federal agencies that the Sisseton-Wahpeton 

Housing Authority utilizes most frequently to compliment our 

NAHASDA Grant are USDA/Rural Development and the BIA/HIP 

Program. We have funded Affordable Housing Projects with both. 

I recommend procedures that should be streamlined as follows: 

• The environmental review process: so we don’t have to complete two (2) separate procedures for the same housing project. 

All government agencies should follow one standard procedure. 

• Income eligibility guidelines should be streamlined so that 

each agency doesn’t have a different set of income guidelines. 

It becomes very confusing for the applicants. I recommend the 

30 percent income rule should be reduced to 20 percent income. 

It would benefit the poorer applicants that reside in Indian 

Country. 

• Matching funds for grants and loans creates hardships for the 

poorer and less resourceful Tribes. I recommend a waiver for 

the Tribes whom are building and being innovative in meeting 

their Tribe’s utmost needs. Another suggestion; designate more 

‘‘pilot projects’’ to assist Tribes in their efforts to secure hous-
52 

ing, law enforcement, health, and economic development 

projects. Set up a system of waivers to address particular Federal inconsistencies. Finally, develop a common lease form that 

will be accepted by all agencies. 

Q.2. Can you talk about the T Yamni program started by the 

Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate and the tribe’s effort to develop successful home ownership programs? 

A.2. In December 2008 a survey was conducted in which 375 

Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate members participated. The survey results supported the need for a home ownership program. In February 2009, T Yamni was created through Tribal Council Resolution. In 2010, the Tribal Council made it mandatory that: 

1. Tribal members attend homebuyers education class prior to 

receiving tribally funded down payment assistance and 

2. As a requirement of receiving tribally funded down payment 

assistance, tribal members must sign a release authorizing 

the lender to notify T Yamni for intervention should the 

homeowner ever become 30 days or more delinquent in payment. 

T Yamni is a collaborative partnership between the SissetonWahpeton Oyate Homebuyers Program, Dakota Nation Housing 

Development Corporation and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Housing Authority. Each entity provides one staff person for T Yamni. Within 

the first 6 months, T Yamni received over 200 contacts from tribal 

members interested in home purchasing. 

In a nutshell, T Yamni walks with the tribal member from start 

to finish in home purchasing and home rehabilitation. Our classes 

are held in the new Sisseton-Wahpeton Housing Authority Administration Building. 

T Yamni provides the following services: 

• Credit Repair 

• Financial Management 

• Home Ownership Education 

• Financing Options 

• Loan Packaging 

• Default Counseling and Foreclosure Intervention 

T Yamni assists tribal members with the following processes: 

• Home site selection (fee, tribal, allotted lands) 

• Home site clearances 

• Soil Testing 

• Utilities 

• Roads 

• Water and Sewer 

T Yamni utilizes the Fannie Mae Tracking System. 

T Yamni pulls credit reports through DCI Credit Services of Bismarck North Dakota. 

T Yamni staff has attended the following training: 

• Training the Trainer—NeighborWorks 
53 

• Post-Purchase Housing Counseling—HAC 

• Homebuyer Counseling—NAHASDA 

• Pathways Home, A Native Home Ownership Guide—NCAI, 

NAIHC, NRC 

• Foreclosure—NeighborWorks 

• HUD 184 Lender Training 

• Financial Education Curriculum—OWEESTA 

• HUD Grant Writing 

• Rural Housing Playbook 

• SD Community Foundation 

Outreach efforts: 

• Financial Management Class 

• Financial Management Class for Tribal School Juniors 

• District Elderly Meetings 

• Reservation Elderly Meetings 

• Weekly Ad in the Sota Iya Ye Yapi (our Tribal Paper) 

• Brochures distributed to every tribal program and the seven 

districts on a periodic basis. 

• Annual Homebuyers Fair 

• Section 504 Community Meetings 

• Monthly Homebuyer Education Class 

T Yamni Partnerships: 

• USDA Rural Development Section 504—Packaging Agreement 

• Northeast South Dakota Community Action Program 

(NESDCAP) USDA/RD Section 502—Packaging Agreement 

Goals: 

• Become a HUD Approved Housing Counseling Agency. 

• Become certified counselors. 

• T Yamni, become in itself, a separate entity. 

• Implement a rebuilding credit program, a revolving loan program. 

• Financial management classes for adults and students on a 

quarterly basis. 

• Home ownership classes on home purchasing, home maintenance, fire prevention, minor repairs, etc. on a regular basis. 

• Develop a more extensive down payment assistance program to 

maximize efforts with other agencies and someday serve members off the reservation. 

T Yamni Staff: 

• Rhonda LaBatte, Sisseton-Wahpeton Homebuyers Program— 

(605) 698–7707 

• Cari Ironheart, Dakota Nations Housing Development Corporation—(605) 698–3200 

• Angie Johnson, Sisseton-Wahpeton Housing Authority—(605) 

698-3901 
54 

Q.3. What are the greatest obstacles facing tribal members who are 

able and interested in buying a home? 

A.3. The Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate is a small Tribe of approximately 13,000 members located in the farthest Northeastern corner 

of South Dakota. We essentially operate in three (3) counties in 

South Dakota but do claim parts of Minnesota and North Dakota 

as our service area. Until recently acquiring housing lenders for 

our Tribal Members was a huge obstacle. Because of our properties 

being located on Federal Indian Lands, not many lenders were willing to take the risk. Now with enhanced cultural relationships and 

understandings, plus loan guarantee programs like the HUD Section 184 and the Title VI Program through NAHASDA and our improved working relationship with local banks; our goals have become more attainable. The following is a list of current obstacles: 

• Limited knowledge of the home buying process 

• Differences of cultural expectations 

• Lack of affordable quality housing 

• Credit issues 

• Lack of available land 

• Prejudices/Discrimmination 

RESPONSES TO WRITTEN QUESTIONS OF SENATOR JOHNSON 

FROM RUSSELL SOSSAMON 

Q.1. Mr. Sossamon, you work with tribes across the country to help 

address housing needs and questions regarding regulations. While 

each tribe has unique circumstances, can you talk about the similar challenges they face when trying to address their housing 

needs? 

A.1. All tribal housing authorities must overcome the varying regulations that apply to different Federal Government programs. Various grant and loan programs designed to improve housing in tribal 

communities and provide the infrastructure development that is so 

critical for housing development and other community and economic development programs. These grant and loan programs can 

come from multiple agencies that often have separate and substantially different reporting requirements. 

Many tribal housing programs must comply with separate administrative requirements and laborious reporting standards to leverage and provide housing services. There are instances when environmental review requirements must be approved by separate 

Federal agencies for identical tracts of land. Reporting required by 

Federal agencies and departments are generally burdensome and 

often duplicative. Tribes are encouraged to leverage their Indian 

Housing Block Grand (IHBG) funds with other Federal grant programs, yet grant management and reporting requirements vary 

from agency-to-agency and department-to-department. The result is 

increased reporting requirements, and that means fewer homes are 

constructed, inspected, repaired, or renovated, and more time is 

spent on administrative matters. 

One of the most vexing issues that challenge our tribes and tribal housing entities is, stately simply, inadequate funding. Accord-
55 

ing to a February 2010 General Accountability Office (GAO) report 

on the effectiveness of funding under the authority of the Native 

American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act 

(NAHASDA), the funding levels between fiscal year (FY) 1998 and 

FY2009 have remained constant in actual dollars, but have lost 

value when inflationary factors are taken into consideration. Funding under NAHASDA is in the form of formula grant funds identified in NAHASDA as the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG). 

The GAO report notes that ‘‘NAHASDA’s first appropriation in 

fiscal year 1998 was $592 million, and average funding was approximately $633 million between 1998 and 2009. The highest level 

of funding was $691 million in 2002, and the lowest was $577 million in 1999. For fiscal year 2009, the program’s appropriation was 

$621 million. However, when accounting for inflation, constant dollars have generally decreased since the enactment of NAHASDA. 

The highest level of (IHBG) funding in constant dollars was $779 

million in 1998, and the lowest was $621 million in 2009.’’ 

NAHASDA funding has, in short, not met the housing needs in 

tribal communities. 

It is also interesting to note that of the 360 IHBG recipients in 

fiscal year 2008, 102 received less than $250,000, with 22 of those 

reporting that they had developed new housing over the life of 

their participation in the program. Fewer than 30 percent of the 

smaller recipients were able to actually construct new housing. 

Therefore, many IHBG recipients are only able to provide some 

tenant-based rental assistance and similar services for their tribal 

membership. 

NAIHC and Congressional appropriators viewed the $700 million 

appropriated in FY2010 as a turning point in the Federal investment to meet the housing needs in tribal communities. Moreover, 

the additional $500 million for tribal housing included in American 

Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funding signed into law by 

President Obama in February 2009, provided an immediate source 

of funds to meet the large backlog in housing construction projects 

yet to be completed. 

The unparalleled funding reductions in tribal housing investments, from $700 million to $580 million, recommended in the 

President’s FY2011 Budget Request, reversed the upward trajectory realized in the FY2010 appropriations level and ARRA funding. While NAIHC understands that the Administration and Congress are faced with difficult budget decisions in the coming FY, a 

funding reduction of this magnitude would erode the very foundation of the Federal investment in Indian housing. Moreover, a 3 

year freeze on domestic spending would have a devastating impact 

on any progress tribes have made to improve housing conditions on 

reservations and in other tribal communities. 

The justification for the budget cuts was based on the false 

premise that IHBG recipients were sitting on large reserves of Federal funds when, in fact, HUD recently reported that nearly 90 percent of all NAHASDA funding since NAHASDA was first funded in 

FY98 has been expended by tribal recipients. Moreover, as of September 25, 2010, HUD reports that approximately 65 percent of 

ARRA-IHBG formula funds and 49 percent of ARRA-IHBG competitive funds have been expended. The spend out rate for tribes 
56 

far exceeds the rate for nontribal grant funds administered by 

HUD. 

Further, there seems to be a basic lack of understanding on the 

part of the Administration, and sometimes the leadership of HUDONAP, regarding how tribal housing authorities are different from 

other, nontribal public housing agencies, and how NAHASDA dollars are spent on the ground in Indian Country. Although the Federal Government has a trust responsibility to tribes, it has yet to 

provide adequate funding to any tribe to enable them to fully serve 

their citizens in the housing arena. Housing is more than bricks 

and mortar, and NAHASDA funds are often a tribe’s sole source of 

providing housing and housing-related services to tribal citizens, 

which include addressing safety concerns, actual operating expenses for tribal housing authorities, infrastructure improvements, 

housing-related economic development, housing renovations and 

danger abatement, and more. For example, in terms of providing 

safe housing, tribes need funds for crime prevention, proper lighting, some form of security services, and activities for the youth to 

deter vandalism and crime. The funds provided under NAHASDA 

are, purely and simply, insufficient to allow tribes and tribal housing authorities to meet the tremendous and ever-growing needs 

that exist in their respective communities. 

Q.2. In your experience, because the agencies use varying regions, 

are there examples of coordination that could be applied to the rest 

of the country? 

A.2. It is hard to pinpoint a real life example of Federal agency coordination that serves as an example to apply to the rest of the 

country. The agencies and the Administration have made genuine 

attempts to logically combine programs that are mutually supportive, i.e., infrastructure development, housing, energy efficiency, 

community centers, and transportation. 

The lack of coordination is not for the lack of effort. In many 

cases, regions, both in terms of numbers and locations, vary greatly 

from agency-to-agency and department-to-department. The single 

largest source of capital investment in tribal housing is the IHBG 

program, which is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing 

and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Native American Programs (ONAP). ONAP maintains two headquarter offices, one in 

Washington, DC, and one in Denver. There are six area ONAP 

area offices located in Chicago, Oklahoma City, Denver, Phoenix, 

Seattle, and Anchorage. 

The Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, and 

other Federal agencies and departments have offices that may or 

may not be in the same regions, and more often are not. Many of 

the programs for each of these agencies are often complementary 

and a necessary adjunct to the housing programs administered by 

ONAP. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has many programs 

that complement the IHBG programs, including housing grant and 

loan programs, water and waste water system, and other infrastructure programs primarily administered by Rural Development 

(RD) State offices. 

There are 48 State RD offices located throughout the country. 

Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island are combined into a 
57 

single RD office, but other offices are located in cities and towns 

that are often associated with the State’s agriculture school. Federal coordination of Federal programs that benefit tribal communities is a daunting task based simply on the structure of Federal 

offices and programs. 

Q.3. As mentioned earlier, our housing authorities have difficulty 

budgeting based on the notification and award process. Is this 

something that occurs throughout Indian Country? 

A.3. Yes, tribal housing authorities throughout the country must 

attempt to plan and budget for housing repair, renovations, construction, and other eligible housing program activities based on 

budgets that are uncertain and, in many instances, as many as 6 

months after the end of the Federal fiscal year. The late enactment 

of appropriations bills coupled with internal processes within HUD 

often delays the obligation and distribution of funds which, in recent years, has even further impaired the ability for tribal housing 

programs to obligate and spend money. NAIHC recognizes that 

HUD must wait for a Congressional notification process that can 

further restrict the availability of funding for use by tribal housing 

programs for their communities. 

For example, 2010 IHBG funds were not available for draw down 

until late July, 2010 for many tribes and tribal housing authorities. 

Housing authorities, particularly the smaller ones, rely heavily on 

Federal funds in order to operate. Therefore, they have to carry 

over enough funds from the previous year’s IHBG to ensure that 

they can make payroll and keep the doors open until the new 

award is received. This is the reason that a majority of tribes have 

some form of carryover/pipeline monies: to ensure their survival. 

Because the issue is one of HUD’s processes for distributing funds, 

it should not then be used as a justification to cut tribal housing 

funds. These so-called ‘‘pipeline’’ issues, where they do exist, are of 

HUD’s own making or are out of necessity for a housing authority’s 

survival from year to year. 

Thank you again, Senator Johnson, for hosting this important 

hearing in Indian Country and for all that you do to assist tribes 

and promote tribal self-sufficiency and sovereignty. 
58 

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL SUPPLIED FOR THE RECORD

PREPARED STATEMENT OF CHARLES W. MURPHY 

CHAIRMAN, STANDING ROCK SIOUX TRIBE

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committees. I am Charles W. Murphy, Chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. I appreciate the opportunity to provide this 

testimony for the record of this Field Hearing. I would like to thank Senator Tim 

Johnson for his leadership in bringing this hearing to South Dakota, and for his 

longstanding support for the Tribes in our efforts to provide decent housing to all 

our people. We greatly appreciate the work of Senator Johnson and our entire Congressional delegation, but we also feel it is very important that other Members see 

the very significant challenges the Tribes in this part of the country face with regard to our housing needs. We hope that this hearing will lead to a greater understanding in that regard, and I would like to extend an invitation to all the Members 

of both Committees to visit Standing Rock, to learn firsthand about the issues that 

we will discuss today. 

As Senator Johnson is well aware, the conditions we face in Indian country remain very troubling. While nationwide it is viewed as a crisis when unemployment 

nears 9 or 10 percent, at Standing Rock we have long-term unemployment, year 

after year, in excess of 50 percent. Poverty on our reservation remains widespread, 

with 4 in every 10 homes on the reservation earning less than 30 percent of Median 

Family income for the area. According to HUD figures, 116 families at Standing 

Rock face what HUD describes as severe housing costs, meaning they pay more 

than 50 percent of their disposable income for housing expenses. Beyond that, far 

too many of our people live in homes that are significantly overcrowded—with HUD 

reporting that 4 in every 10 families living long term in overcrowded conditions. 

This is a serious problem, as a large number of our people live with 10 or 12 persons 

in a home that was sized to accommodate only 3 or 4, simply because no adequate 

housing is available to serve them all. 

While these conditions at Standing Rock have persisted for years, over the last 

few years we have faced additional challenges as well. First, the recession that undermined the economy nationwide had adverse impacts for us as well, further isolating the Tribe and diminishing opportunities for advancement. Many Tribal members returned from off the reservation because jobs were scarce elsewhere, only to 

find a lack of adequate housing on the reservation. Second, this past winter we 

faced a series of terrible winter storms, which knocked down thousands of electrical 

poles and power lines, paralyzed transportation, stranded our members in their 

homes without heat and electricity for days and hurt families in their efforts to 

make needed repairs and keep their homes safe and winterized. The bottom line is 

that at Standing Rock, and at many other reservations, poverty remains a fact of 

life for all too many of our people, and the promise of decent housing remains, in 

far too many cases, unfulfilled. 

We know that Congress intends it to be otherwise. For example, when Congress 

enacted NAHASDA in 1996, Congress found that providing ‘‘affordable homes in 

safe and healthy environments is an essential element in the special role of the 

United States in helping tribes and their members to improve their housing conditions and socioeconomic status.’’ This language makes it clear that Congress, in enacting NAHASDA, recognized the fundamental trust responsibility of the United 

States to provide good housing for tribes and their members. NAHASDA block 

grants provide tribes with a great deal of discretion in meeting housing needs, and 

that flexibility is important. But funds remain limited and the needs remain great. 

We understand that these are difficult times from the perspective of the Federal 

budget. Nevertheless, we were extremely disappointed to see that the Administration’s FY2011 budget called for the NAHASDA Indian Housing Block Grant program to be cut by $120 million. This great country must stand by its most impoverished citizens and must not deny them the most basic of human needs—safe and 

decent housing. We know we are not alone in this view. We were pleased that the 

House has voted to restore some of the money cut in the budget regarding 

NAHASDA. We were also pleased that the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee 

voted to restore NAHASDA Block Grant funding to the FY2010 enacted level. We 

request that the members of the Banking and Indian Affairs Committees do all you 

can to support the Senate Subcommittee action in the full Senate and in conference 

with the House, to preserve NAHASDA funding for the Tribes and our people. 

But while restoring NAHASDA funding is vitally important, that alone will not 

be sufficient to address the problem. For example, at Standing Rock, we have a 
59 

large Tribal population, so we have a large existing housing stock. The majority of 

this housing stock is comprised of low rent units—as we have nearly 600 such units. 

The Tribe has 222 Mutual Help units that contribute to the Tribe’s NAHASDA 

funding. As a result of the manner in which NAHASDA funds are allocated—in particular, with only 20 percent of the allocation addressing housing need—the vast 

majority of the Tribe’s NAHASDA funds are needed for the upkeep, maintenance 

and repair of existing housing units. This leaves us with few funds to address our 

dire need for additional housing units. So, even with full NAHASDA funding at last 

year’s levels, more needs to be done. 

Finally, in addressing housing needs in Indian country, it is important to consider 

infrastructure and other related needs as well. New housing units on the reservation require roads, sewers, and water and utility lines to serve the new housing 

units. New housing may also require additional resources in terms of law enforcement and public safety—to serve the new areas where new homes are built. And 

all of these together—adequate housing, proper infrastructure and public safety— 

contribute to the ability of the Tribe both to provide for our people and to recruit 

needed doctors, nurses, teachers, police, and others who are needed to serve our reservation community. We urge the Committees to take these factors into account 

when addressing the needs of large, rural reservations like Standing Rock. All of 

these issues need to be considered together—and adequate resources need to be allocated—to provide the conditions necessary for successful economic advancement and 

community stability. 

In conclusion, there is much to be done and we look forward to working with these 

Committees to address our housing needs and related matters. We also hope that 

all Members of these Committees will have an opportunity to come to the Standing 

Rock Sioux Reservation to learn more about the challenges we face. 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF COLLEEN STEEL 

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MAZASKA OWECASO OTIPI FINANCIAL, INC. 

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Mazaska: An Overview of Our Organization 

Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial (Mazaska) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit Community 

Development Financial Institution (CDFI) located on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southwestern South Dakota. Founded by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing in 2004, Mazaska’s mission is to ‘‘provide loans, guarantees and 

other financial arrangements to individuals or organizations for the purpose of home 

ownership for new housing and for the rehabilitation of substandard housing.’’ To 

meet this mission, Mazaska provides reasonably priced, fixed rate loans for home 

purchase, home renovation, and new home construction. We collaborate with local 

organizations to provide financial literacy and homebuyer counseling to applicants 

and borrowers. In the Lakota language, Mazaska Owecaso Otipi means ‘‘Lending 

Money for Housing.’’ 

Accomplishments 

Mazaska’s accomplishments include the following: 

• Since 2004, Mazaska has originated 18 loans totaling $773,997: 94 percent were 

to first-time homebuyers; 16 were new construction; 89 percent of Mazaska’s 

borrowers were low or very low income and could not obtain financing from a 

bank. 

• Year to date, Mazaska has closed five loans totaling $111,850 that enabled four 

very-low income families to purchase their first homes and a fifth borrower to 

purchase a new home after the death of her husband. These loans were funded 

by the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund Native American CDFI Assistance Program 

and the HUD Rural Housing and Economic Development Program. 

• Mazaska has five loan applications pending—totaling $462,000, all for first-time 

homebuyers. These loans will be funded from our CDFI Fund NACA award. 

Innovations 

Since its inception, Mazaska has been able to develop programs and deliver loan 

products that are critical to overcoming the challenges that are faced by the residents of the Pine Ridge Reservation, including: 

• Created a loan product for renovation/rehabilitation to address the housing 

stock shortage on Pine Ridge and increase Energy Efficiency. 
60 

• To mitigate risk, Mazaska has developed a loan loss reserve, capitalized with 

RHED (HUD) funds. 

• In partnership with OSTPH and Lakota Funds, another CDFI on the reservation, Mazaska ensures that all of its borrowers participate in credit counseling, 

financial education, and first time homebuyer classes. 

• Successfully partnered with OST Housing Authority to address the critical 

housing shortage on Pine Ridge through their NAHASDA set-aside. 

• Mazaska provides ongoing support to borrowers by reviewing credit reports with 

borrowers on an annual basis and assisting with financial education as needed. 

Working To Meet Housing Needs on the Pine Ridge Reservation 

The need for affordable housing on the Pine Ridge Reservation is extensive: 

• According to the Oglala Lakota Home Coalition, there is a need for 5,000 new 

homes on the reservation. In 2007 it was sitting 3,000 new homes needed. 

• According to the Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing Authority, there are over 1,000 

families on the waiting list for low-rent and home ownership units. 

• More than 85 percent of the households on Pine Ridge are overcrowded, with 

three or more families living in one home. 

Historically, there has been minimal housing lending on the reservation. The Oglala Sioux Housing (Lakota) Authority provides the majority of homes to tribal 

members on a rental basis and some families eventually become homeowners 

through a rent-to-own process. Land tenure has been an obstacle to housing lending, 

as tribal land is held in trust and cannot be used as collateral for a mortgage. A 

lack of credit or poor credit histories, extreme poverty and the corresponding high 

debt to income ratios, and a lack of down payment funds on the reservation have 

prevented many families from successfully building assets and owning homes. 

Tribal members can access financial services in towns bordering the reservation, 

and nearby Rapid City. However, these services—including pawnshops, check 

cashers, and payday lenders—do not contribute to asset building on the reservation. 

Most employ predatory lending practices with usurious interest rates and fees, and 

provide short-term, quick money, rather than the long-term financing needed for 

home loans. 

In spite of these challenges, Mazaska has been innovative by creating loan products and partnerships that are meeting the needs on Pine Ridge. 

Mazaska: Making an Impact 

As the only housing lender on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Mazaska, is in 

a unique position to make quantifiable impact with the loan products it has developed. Mazaska reaches and assists communities in ways that third party lenders 

and financial services in border towns cannot. In order to continue this impact, however, Mazaska must be able to count on continued Federal support—through the 

CDFI Fund, and HUD programming targeted to rural areas (such as the former 

RHED—Rural Housing and Economic Development Program), as well as other programs. We do our best to earn income to reduce our reliance on grant funds and 

have had some success with raising funds from foundations, but these Federal programs have been our most reliable source of the capital we lend to low income 

homeowners. 

Recommendations: 

• Continue funding the U.S. Treasury CDFI Fund program, including the Native 

Initiatives Program (NACA) in the Fund’s annual budget appropriations. 

• Provide outreach to the Tribes for HUD Funding that will affect housing development, especially since RHED is no longer an authorized program. 

• Support the South Dakota Tribes in quantifying the housing needs with direct 

market research. 

• Protect NAHASDA funding levels to Tribes to continue to meet the critical need 

on South Dakota reservations. 
61 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF AMOS PRUE 

CEO, SICANGU WICOTI AWAYANKAPI CORPORATION

AUGUST 25, 2010 

I would like to thank the Members of the Committees and especially Chairman 

Johnson for coming to South Dakota to hold this Indian housing field hearing. I am 

the CEO of the Sicangu Wicoti Awayankapi (SWA) Corporation, which is the tribally 

designated housing entity of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe. The Rosebud Reservation is 

located in south central South Dakota. 

Our current housing stock is not adequate to meet the needs of the people we 

serve and many of our tribal members reside in overcrowded households. We have 

high rates of alcoholism and suicide that plague the communities we serve. The 

Rosebud Reservation also suffers from some of the worst unemployment numbers 

in the United States of America. The Bureau of Indian Affairs estimates that the 

unemployment rate on our reservation is eighty-two percent (82 percent). We can 

not solve our housing issues without addressing unemployment and economic development. Housing, unemployment, and economic development are all related and we 

can not fix one without improving the others. The Federal Government can assist 

us with these issues however, tribal leadership and support for the promotion of 

new business is the most important element to our success. Emphasis needs to be 

placed on the development of individual entrepreneurship. 

The SWA Corporation has formed a subsidiary limited liability company, 

Ojinjintka Housing Development Corporation (OHDC), LLC to manufacture housing 

on the Rosebud Reservation. OHDC was formed to spur economic development on 

the Rosebud Reservation, to provide much needed jobs, and to build housing for tribal members. Houses are being built with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act 

funds. Additionally, there is a market opportunity for OHDC to expand beyond providing services to Indian entities and sell the homes to non-Indian customers. Construction companies are vacating rural South Dakota and there is a market for 

housing construction that OHDC hopes to fill. SWA Corporation has taken note of 

the lessons learned from previous tribal housing manufacturing companies to ensure 

success with OHDC. OHDC will create economic development on the Rosebud Reservation while providing jobs and housing for its members. 

I appreciate the assistance provided to SWA Corporation under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act Indian Housing Block Grant 

(IHBG) Program; however, the level of Federal assistance has been inadequate to 

meet the housing needs of the Sicangu Oyate on the Rosebud Reservation. We need 

your support to keep current IHBG funding at a minimum of $700 million dollars. 

In an effort to advocate for this continued funding, the Rosebud Sioux Tribe has 

banded together with many other large, land-based tribes to form a new advocacy 

group known as ‘‘A Coalition for Indian Housing’’ (ACIH). This group seeks to try 

to more effectively advocate for some of our particular needs and interests in Indian 

housing. As part of this advocacy, ACIH has recommended that Tribes and their 

TDHES provide a simple self-reporting information sheet. I have attached a one 

page self-reporting information sheet on our program for your information. (See Attachment A.) 

Thank you again Members of the Committees and Senator Johnson for coming to 

South Dakota to better understand both our needs and our successes. 
62 

Attachment A 
63 

PREPARED STATEMENT OF DEBORAH DESANTIS 

PRESIDENT AND CEO, CORPORATION FOR SUPPORTIVE HOUSING

AUGUST 25, 2010 

Chairman Dodd, Ranking Member Shelby, Senator Johnson, and Members of the 

Committee, on behalf of the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) I thank you 

for holding this very important hearing and for inviting us to submit testimony 

about our experience preventing and ending homelessness for Native Americans 

both on and off of tribal lands. We offer this testimony in conjunction with Enterprise Community Partners, our partner in the Initiative explained below. We also 

would like to express our appreciation to Secretary Donovan for traveling across the 

country to personally attend this hearing; your presence in South Dakota is indicative of your commitment and genuine desire to expand housing opportunities for 

the lowest income and most vulnerable Americans. 

The Corporation for Supportive Housing is a national nonprofit and Community 

Development Financial Institution with the mission of preventing and ending homelessness by helping communities create supportive housing. CSH has 14 offices in 

12 States across the country, focusing our efforts on policy and systems reform, technical assistance and capacity building, and lending—all aimed at increasing the supply of permanent supportive housing. 

As Members of the Committee may know, permanent supportive housing is a combination of housing with supportive services that is widely recognized as a highly 

successful intervention to homelessness for those with complex barriers to housing 

stability. As evidenced in HUD’s Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress, 

supportive housing has played a critical role at reducing chronic homelessness in 

the United States. In recent years CSH has worked to demonstrate how the same 

permanent supportive housing model that reduced chronic homelessness is an effective solution to ending homelessness for families, individuals returning to communities following incarceration, veterans, and since 2005 we’ve also looked to expand 

supportive housing for Native American populations on and off the reservation. 

Homelessness Among Native Americans 

Homelessness is a significant and growing problem among American Indians, both 

on tribal lands and in urban centers. Native Americans represent 8 percent of the 

homeless population, but only 1.5 percent of the U.S. population. On reservations, 

30 percent of homes are overcrowded and 18 percent of homes are severely overcrowded. While we need to learn a lot more about the scale, scope, and dynamics 

of homelessness in tribal communities, it is clear there is a substantial cohort of 

American Indians who experience homelessness in a variety of ways. 

Many American Indians experiencing homelessness have serious health conditions, including mental illness and addiction that exacerbate the problem. Based on 

data in Minnesota (from the first-ever homeless survey on reservations) in 2006 

which identified 1,239 people who were homeless or near-homeless on six reservations, about one-third of respondents reported at least one chronic health condition, 

29 percent considered themselves chemically dependent, and 23 percent of respondents had received inpatient or outpatient care for mental health treatment in the 

previous 2 years. The survey identified 450 children who were considered homeless 

under the Federal definition and we know there were additional children with doubled-up parents who were not surveyed. Children living in overcrowded and less stable housing are at a higher risk for poor educational outcomes compared to children 

in more stable housing. 

To effectively address the complex housing and health needs of American Indians 

that experience homelessness, a comprehensive approach is necessary that meets 

the myriad needs of American Indians. Supportive housing is a promising solution 

to address and end homelessness among American Indians. Furthermore, it is 

adaptable and can build upon the unique strengths of the American Indian culture, 

traditions and values, and the unique governance structure of tribes and tribal 

human service systems. 

CSH’s American Indian Supportive Housing Initiative (AISHI) 

In 2005, the Corporation for Supportive Housing along with Enterprise Community Partners, created the American Indian Supportive Housing Initiative (AISHI) 

in its Minnesota program office as a means of assisting tribes and Indian communities across the State in addressing the issue of homelessness. This initiative resulted from a recognized need for increases in the quantity and quality of supportive 

housing for American Indians, both on and off the reservation, and the lack of adequate resources to get the work done. AISHI focuses its efforts on opening the doors 

of supportive housing to American Indians by offering capacity building and train-
64 

ing, project-specific technical assistance, and financial assistance to tribes and 

American Indian nonprofit organizations. To date, we have worked with tribes in 

Minnesota and North Dakota to develop 12 permanent supportive housing (PSH) 

programs on reservations (approximately 200 units); assisted five off-reservation 

projects for American Indians (approximately 77 units); delivered more than 30 

presentations and workshops to tribal partners; and collaborated with Minnesota 

tribes, the Department of Human Services and a nonprofit research entity to conduct a survey of homelessness on Indian reservations in both 2006 and 2009. 

Regarding the homelessness survey, recognizing that there was almost nothing 

known about the scale and scope of homelessness for American Indians CSH worked 

closely with six tribal governments, the MN Department of Human Services, and 

Wilder Research as part of the State’s triennial statewide survey of homelessness. 

Tribal representatives and leaders in the American Indian community wanted to 

document homelessness in their communities. 

CSH helped identify a collaborative team among the tribes interested in participating in the survey. The collaboration included tribal staff from each participating 

reservation, CSH, the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) and Wilder 

Research. Importantly, tribal staff represented multiple departments—housing, 

human services, and planning agencies, along with homeless shelters. The commitment and actions of tribal elected officials were key as they communicated with colleagues at other tribal governments to answer questions, assuage worries and build 

political support. 

Lessons learned included: 

• Building trust and relationships with tribal leadership is the first, most critical 

and fundamental step. This must involve culturally sensitive, sustained outreach, with a core focus on the needs and desires of the tribes themselves. 

• Cultivating champions within each tribe’s staff is necessary to guide conversations and relay information between the collaborative group and tribal councils. 

• Allowing flexibility in how and when the tribes conducted the survey is critical. 

The statewide survey had to be completed on one specific day, but the tribes 

were allowed up to 2 weeks to complete their interviews. Tribes were allowed 

flexibility in how and where the survey was conducted, which questions were 

asked, the stipend amounts paid and who conducted the interviews. 

• Identifying homelessness on reservations is different than off reservation. Tribal 

members do not call themselves ‘‘homeless’’ when they lack their own permanent housing (i.e., being doubled and tripled up for long periods of time.) Therefore the Federal HUD definition of homelessness utilized off reservation does 

not fit tribal communities. Needs assessments should reflect this dynamic. 

As I mentioned earlier, CSH developed a partnership with Enterprise Community 

Partners to expand and strengthen our support for tribal communities. Enterprise’s 

partnership has been invaluable, and combined, our two organizations’ financial investments total approximately $3.2 million in tax credit equity and $1.6 in loans 

and grants for capital and predevelopment of permanent supportive housing projects 

in Indian country. With the assistance of Congress, the Administration, tribal leaders and philanthropy we hope to vastly expand this initiative, facilitate the production of thousands more units and end homelessness for so many Native Americans. 

CSH and Enterprise briefed both HUD and Senator Johnson’s staff on the AISHI 

initiative and would be happy to meet further with any of the Committee Members 

or other interested parties to further discuss our experience with AISHI and the resources we believe are needed to further expand it. 

We would like to offer a few suggestions to the Committee about how the Federal 

Government can help tribal communities develop more permanent supportive housing to address the severe housing needs for their most vulnerable residents. 

• We understand HUD is exploring a national needs assessment in Indian country. We urge Congress and the Administration to support this endeavor and are 

ready to assist as needed. 

• HUD’s Native American Housing Block Grant program provides critical resources to tribes. HUD has proposed reducing funding for this program, and we 

are grateful Congressional appropriators have restored funding. Congress 

should consider increasing funds for this important grant program. 

• Tribal governments have difficulty accessing mainstream resources for housing 

and health care supports that are needed to prevent and end homelessness. 

CSH recommends HUD and other Federal agencies identify these barriers and 

explore options for removing them. 
65 

• HUD’s Office of Native American Programs has been receptive to increased 

focus on the solution permanent supportive housing can play in preventing and 

ending homeless for Native Americans. Congress and the Administration should 

encourage continuation of this trend. 

• CSH has utilized USDA’s Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) to 

advance AISHI and urge Congress to increase funding for this program. 

CSH intends to expand our AISHI initiative in other parts of the country, including South Dakota, and we welcome the Committee’s assistance as we encourage additional homelessness surveys and needs assessments, deliver supportive housing 

trainings, provide direct and project-specific technical assistance, and convene regional forums to bring together tribal leaders, philanthropy, developers, and others 

interested in creating new permanent supportive housing. 

Again, please accept CSH’s gratitude for holding this important hearing and for 

accepting our testimony. If we can ever be of assistance please do not hesitate to 

contact me directly, or our Director of Federal Policy, Jordan Press, at jordan.press@csh.org.