FEBRUARY 1, 2003
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A Publication of the Grand Ronde Tribe
www.grandronde.org
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New BOSS The State of Oregon has a new top dog as Democrat Ted Kulongoski takes over the Governor's office from John Kitzhaber.
Kulongoski supporters jammed the Portland Hilton on Saturday, January 11 to be part of the new governor's inaugural ball. Kulongoski, shown
here with wife Mary Oberst, said he wants to work closely with Native American Tribes in Oregon' throughout his term as state governor.
A Glitch Mars An Indian Home Ownership Program
With interest rates down this low, many refinance their homes, except in Indian Country where
refinances are not yet part of the program.
By Ron Karten
The good news for Tribal mem
bers living in the Grand Mead
ows development is that refi
nancing may "soon" be possible.
This is not the first such prediction
from the Office of Native American
Programs at the federal Housing and
Urban Development Department
(HUD), but the promise is virtually the
only hope for Grand Meadows
homeowners whose existing mortgages
on Tribal trust land came guaranteed
by HUD's Section 184 loan program.
About two-thirds of about 30
homeowners in Grand Meadows could
benefit by refinancing at current rates,
according to Valerie Harjo, a Home
Mortgage Consultant specializing in
Indian housing for Wells Fargo Home
Mortgage, and broker for many of the
original homes at Grand Meadows.
Harjo also has been a board member
for the last two years of the Grand
Ronde Tribal Housing Authority.
Refinancing allows homeowners to
pull cash out of a mortgage when the
home has increased in value cash
for a child's education, for home im
provement, and when rates go down
as they have in recent years, it also
can mean lower monthly payments.
Refinance continued on page 6
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Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
Community of Oregon
9615 Grand Ronde Road
Grand Ronde, Oregon 97347
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