Congressman Dan Kildee Announces Nearly $14 Million in Federal Grants to Michigan for Affordable Housing on Native American Reservations
Grants will support affordable housing for various Native American tribes across Michigan
WASHINGTON, D.C. – February 20, 2015 – (RealEstateRama) — Congressman Dan Kildee (MI-05) announced today over $13.8 million in federal grants that will be awarded to tribes across Michigan to support affordable housing for Native Americans. The Native American Housing Block Grants (NAHBG) will help develop and modernize affordable housing units as part of the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA), which Congressman Kildee had a major role in working to reauthorize in Congress.
“These federal grants are crucial for helping Native Americans secure viable housing all across Michigan,” Congressman Kildee said. “We must fulfill the promises we’ve made in our state and across the country. That includes respecting tribal autonomy and culture while still ensuring that affordable housing opportunities are prevalent for Native Americans. That’s why I’ve worked to improve programs like NAHASDA in Congress, and I’m glad to see this needed money come to Michigan.”
Today’s $13.8 million in federal grants, administered through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, will be used throughout Michigan in six broad areas:
•Indian Housing Assistance: funding to maintain or help operate Native American housing developed before the establishment of NAHASDA.
•Development: funding to build, rebuild or acquire modern affordable housing for Native Americans as well as associated utilities and infrastructure.
•Housing Services: funding for services to promote self-sufficiency of residents in affordable housing, including housing counseling and support for other resident organizations.
•Housing Management Services: funding for the management of affordable housing, including inspections and maintenance of housing funded by the NAHBG program.
•Crime Prevention and Safety: funding for safety and law enforcement programs that protect affordable housing residents.
•Model Activities: funding for approved model programs that will help further the purposes of NAHASDA.
Congressman Kildee has been a strong advocate for Native American tribes during his time in Congress and has worked to improve and reauthorize NAHASDA, which expired at the end of Fiscal Year (FY) 2013. He is an original cosponsor of H.R. 360, the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2015. He also was an original cosponsor of a similar bill in the 113th Congress, when he offered an amendment that would return more autonomy to tribes and remove efforts to privatize native housing programs.
“The current NAHASDA bill isn’t perfect, but it’s far past time for Congress to reauthorize this program,” Congressman Kildee said. “I will continue to work with other Members of Congress – Democrats and Republicans – to try and improve this legislation and reauthorize this vital act this year.”
These 12 recipients of NAHASDA grants have been awarded the following amounts:
•Bay Mills Indian Community: $772,854
•Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians: $1,246,381
•Hannahville Indian Community: $169,498
•Keweenaw Bay Indian Community: $1,820,519
•Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians: $253,143
•Little River Band of Ottawa Indians: $273,197
•Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians: $621,591
•Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Michigan: $186,084
•Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi: $486,537
•Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians: $2,203,682
•Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Michigan: $1,028,213
•Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Michigan: $4,759,450
