HUD: Housing Conditions Worse for American Indian Households

For the past two decades since the enactment of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996, tribes have been building more housing units. However, housing conditions for American Indian households are substantially worse than those of other U.S. households, according to recent findings from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD).

Three new comprehensive reports were released Thursday after Congress asked HUD in 2009 to conduct an assessment of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian housing needs; Washington, D.C.–based think tank Urban Institute led the study.

The reports focus on the housing needs of Native Americans in both tribal and urban areas as well as mortgage lending on tribal lend. Remoteness, lack of infrastructure, legal issues, and other constraints have made it difficult to improve housing conditions on the tribal lands, according to the research.

Researchers estimate that 68,000 more units are needed to replace severely distressed housing units and to eliminate overcrowding in many households.

“Our research shows that physical conditions of housing and overcrowding remain much worse for American Indians and Alaska Natives living in tribal areas than for other Americans,” said Nancy Pindus, a senior fellow in the Urban Institute’s Metropolitan Housing and Communities Policy Center and the lead researcher for HUD’s Assessment of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs.

Key findings on the housing needs of Native Americans in tribal areas include:

• Physical deficiencies in plumbing, kitchen, heating, electrical, and maintenance issues were found in 23% of tribal households compared with 5% of all U.S. households;
• 17% of households were estimated to have at least one doubled-up person staying in the household because they have nowhere else to go; and
• Overcrowding combined with a physical problem was found in 34% of tribal households compared with 7% of all U.S. households.

“This assessment paints a stark picture of the deep and enduring housing needs being experienced by Native American and Alaska Native households,” said HUD Secretary Julian Castro in a statement. “It’s imperative that we support tribes and continue to produce more quality housing in communities where families are living in overcrowded or unsuitable conditions.”

Pindus added, “In 1996, federal assistance for housing was changed to a block grant, and tribes were given the primary responsibility for planning and operating their housing programs. Tribes have demonstrated that they can construct and rehabilitate housing for their low-income members under this system, but the funding has been eroded by inflation.”

Accessing capital has been a common problem for tribes, but strides continue to be made to address the housing shortage.

Recent examples include New Mexico’s Santo Domingo Tribal Housing Authority’s 41-unit affordable housing development that will be completed this spring and the transformation of an abandoned motel into 24 units of affordable housing by the Sokaogon Chippewa Housing Authority near Crandon, Wis.

The Domingo Housing Project not only will help meet the urgent need for housing on the pueblo, which previously had 500 homes for its 5,000 residents, but also will connect residents to public transportation to access jobs and other services.

The Sokaogon Supportive Residences, which was completed last year, is providing 24 units of housing for veterans, tribal members, and nontribal members earning no more than 30%, 50%, and 60% of the area median income.