Page 8
Spilyay Tymoo, Warm Springs, Oregon
November 20, 2019
Point-in-
Time count
(Continued from page 1)
Over the past three
years, there has been an
increase in the number of
precariously housed. The
number of literally home-
less decreased from last
year, according to the sur-
veys.
The
Confederated
Tribes of Warm Springs
Health and Human Ser-
vices Branch strives to
meet the highest standards
of integrity and quality in
its research and analysis;
and in the evidence-based
policy recommendations
offered by its researchers
and experts. The Point-in-
Time sur vey adheres to
the policy:
“We are driven by the
knowledge that together we
are stronger, healthier, safer
communities where people
can thrive, when everyone
has a safe, stable place to call
home.”
Tribal Access to Homeless Assistance Act advances
A bipartisan bill that
would help tribes address
homeless in their communi-
ties is due for passage in the
U.S. House of Representa-
tives.
H.R.4029, the Tribal Ac-
cess to Homeless Assistance
Act, does something rather
simple. The bill makes
makes tribes and tribal hous-
ing entities eligible for the
same types of grants that are
already available to other
communities.
“To say the least, the rate
of homeless among Native
Americans living on tribal
lands is alarmingly high,”
Rep. Denny Heck (D-Wash-
ington), the sponsor of the
measure, said at a markup
session.
The data indeed is stag-
gering. According to a re-
cent report from the De-
partment of Housing and
Urban Development, be-
tween 42,000 and 85,000
American Indians and
Alaska Natives living on
tribal lands are experiencing
homelessness, which often
leads to overcrowding, an-
other major issue in Indian
Country.
The report, Housing
Needs of American Indians
and Alaska Natives in Tribal
Areas, noted that tribes can
tap into existing funding
streams to provide housing
for their people. But they are
not eligible for the McKinney-
Vento Homeless Assistance
program, which is in fact the
government’s largest home-
less assistance program.
“Making tribes eligible re-
cipients
of
these
homelessness assistance is a
step toward fixing tribal
housing issues and solving
the hidden crisis of
homelessness on tribal
lands,” said Rep. Patrick
McHenry (R-North Caro-
lina), the senior-most Re-
publican on the House Com-
mittee on Financial Services.