HUD awards millions to 3 tribes in state, including Tohono O'odham

5 hours 40 minutes ago by Faye DeHoff

WASHINGTON, D.C. - HUD awards $2.9 million to Native American communities in Arizona to improve housing conditions, stimulate community development and create jobs.

Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julin Castro today announced the money is being awarded to three tribal communities in the state, including the Tohono O'odham.

"These grants will create better housing, spur economic development and support self-determination in Native American communities," said HUD Secretary Julin Castro. "ICDBG funds are an important investment in the remote and low-income tribal communities that need it most. Through this work, we're proud to help our tribal partners expand opportunity in their community by determining on their own, not from Washington, which local projects meet their needs and strengthen their future."

"The state's tribal communities use this funding to support rehabbing or building new housing or to buy land for housing," said HUD Regional Administrator Ophelia Basgal. "The purpose of the Indian Community Development Block Grants is to develop viable Indian communities, including decent housing, suitable living environments and economic opportunities."

For the first time in fiscal year 2014, the awards will also be used through a special program to remediate and prevent mold in housing units owned or operated by tribes and tribally designated housing entities. Nine tribes will receive funding for mold remediation, including the Havasupai Tribe in Arizona, where the village is located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and mold is common due in part to frequent flooding.

The ICDBG program was established in 1977 to help Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to meet their community development needs. Federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, groups or nations (including Alaska Indian, Aleuts and Eskimos,) Alaska Native villages, and eligible tribal organizations compete for this funding.

HUD administers six programs that are specifically targeted to American Indian, Alaska Native, or native Hawaiian individuals and families, and federally recognized tribal governments. In Fiscal Year 2014, HUD received more than $736 million to fund programs to support housing and development initiatives in American Indian, Alaska Native, and native Hawaiian communities. Through innovative programming, American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments have created sustainable and community-driven solutions to their housing and community development challenges.

Arizona Tribal Community Grants

1. The Havasupai Tribe will use its $400,000 grant to renovate 10 homes that have evidence of mold. In this village at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, mold is common due to overcrowded living conditions and frequent flooding. Renovations will be done in bathrooms, kitchens and other areas where mold is present. Moisture resistant boards will replace the drywall in bathrooms drywall and kitchen areas. The tribe's force account crews will be utilized to perform the work which eliminates the substantial transportation costs needed to transport crews to such a remote location.

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HUD awards millions to 3 tribes in state, including Tohono O'odham