Siletz Youth Conference
Photos by Diane Rodriquez
Above: Drummers Ron Butler Jr., Isaac Butler and Izaiah Fisher invite the group
back from a break.
Nov. 8-9, 2014
B’nai B’rith Camp
Lincoln City, Oregon
Below: Youth meet in small groups to discuss various topics.
Housing, continued from page 1
non-Indian rates in the same areas. The
poverty rate in Indian Country is 25.3
percent – nearly three times the national
average. In many communities unemploy-
ment is as high as 50 to 70 percent.
The Native American Housing Assis-
tance and Self-Determination Act of 1996
(NAHASDA) remains the dominant
framework for the delivery of housing
assistance in Indian Country to its most
vulnerable citizens.
NAHASDA reauthorization has been
the top legislative priority for the National
American Indian Housing Council
(NAIHC), the only national organiza-
tion representing the housing interests of
American Indians, Alaska Natives and
native Hawaiians with a membership of
466 Tribes and housing entities.
Throughout 2012 and early 2013,
NAIHC conducted a national outreach
effort to solicit input from its membership
and developed a consensus-based position
including many provisions and amend-
ments to improve NAHASDA.
Highlights in the pending reautho-
rization include strengthening Tribal
self-determination, expediting approvals
by the U.S. Department of Housing and
Urban Development, streamlining envi-
ronmental requirements and authorizing
Tribes to blend funds for housing con-
struction and sanitation facilities.
Additionally, reauthorization legisla-
tion includes a provision to create new
opportunities for Indian Housing providers
to serve Native American veterans modeled
on the HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive
Housing (HUD-VASH) program.
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Siletz News
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Throughout this process, NAIHC
worked with lawmakers in hopes of
quick action on reauthorization. Bills
were introduced in both the House
(HR 4277 and HR 4329) and Senate
(S 1352) to reauthorize NAHASDA and
included many reforms put forth during
NAIHC’s outreach.
When the House returns for its lame
duck session in November, it will con-
sider, among other bills, HR 4329, the
Native American Housing Assistance and
Self-Determination Reauthorization Act
of 2014, legislation introduced by Rep.
Steve Pearce, R-N.M., and favorably
reported by the House Financial Services
Committee in July 2014.
NAIHC endorses House passage
of HR 4329 and urges Tibal leaders
and housing authorities to contact their
congressional delegation to discuss the
importance of Indian housing programs
in your community.
So far in the 113 th Congress, 12 Tribal
bills have been enacted into law, with
no bill of general applicability making
it to the president’s desk. By enacting
NAHASDA reauthorization, we can
take a big step forward in promoting
Indian self-determination and reforming
the main federal statute governing how
low-income housing assistance to Indian
families and communities is administered.
Sami Jo Difuntorum (Kwekaeke
Shasta) serves as chairwoman of the
National American Indian Housing Coun-
cil and executive director of the Siletz
Tribal Housing Department.
December 2014
Above: Glenn LaMotte from the Native
American Youth and Family Center
makes a presentation.
Below (both photos): Youth enjoy a
round of Sweep the Tipi.