Smoke Signals 7
AUGUST 1,2011
HUD's Native American Program head visits Grand Ronde
By Ron Karten
Smoke Signalt itaff writer
"You're blessed with having such
great sites," said Rodger Boyd
(Navajo), Deputy Assistant Sec
retary of the federal Housing and
Urban Development's Office of
Native American Programs, "and
the architecture and layouts really
complement them. The integration
of housing design and cultural
awareness is extremely good. It's a
great combination."
In Portland to talk at a Commu
nity Development Financial Insti
tutions conference, Boyd, the top
official within the Office of Native
American Programs, spoke during
a July 20 side trip to look at Tribal
housing and other HUD projects in
Oregon, starting with the Confeder
ated Tribes of Grand Ronde.
Boyd and Office of Native Ameri
can Programs Northwest Regional
Director Ken Bowring toured the
Housing Authority communities
and the Tribal campus, with nar
ration provided by Grand Ronde
Tribal Housing Authority Execu
tive Director Carina Kistler with
the assistance of Rental Housing
Coordinator Leon Ramos.
"It is a great honor for Mr. Boyd's
first stop at an Oregon Tribe to be
here in Grand Ronde," Kistler said.
"We are excited to show him the
results of 12 years of housing and
facilities made possible through
HUD funding."
The tour included the Housing
Authority office, Grand Meadows
(Homeownership Housing), Chxi
Musam Illihi (Family Rental Hous
ing), Hip Tilixam (Elder Rental
Housing), the three Adult Foster
Care lodges and the Elders' Activ
ity Center. They also visited the
Tribe's Indian Community De-
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Photo by Michelle Alalmo
Rodger Boyd, left, deputy assistant secretary of the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development's Office of Native American Programs, and
Ken Bowring, middle, administrator of HUD's Northwest Region Office of
Native American Programs, look over plans for phase two of Elder Housing
while Grand Ronde Tribal Housing Authority Executive Director Carina Kistler
gives them a tour of the housing office during their visit to Grand Ronde on
Wednesday, July 20.
velopment Block Grant projects,
including the new Tribal Library
expansion and the two additions
to the Health and Wellness Center.
All are beneficiaries of Housing and
Urban Development funding.
"I want to say how much I ap
preciate what HUD has done, not
only for the clinic but for the whole
Tribe," said Health Services Execu
tive Director Mark Johnston. "You
can't go anywhere on this campus
without seeing the HUD stamp."
"What I love is people are seeing
these as 'our' buildings, not 'HUD'
buildings," Boyd said, referring
to art commissioned for different
buildings, such as the murals on
Elder Housing units.
"It's our funds," said Bowring,
"but you (local community) do the
heavy lifting."
While HUD properties sometimes
come with a negative connotation
across the country, Boyd said he
is seeing "new designs determined
by the community itself, reflective
of the local culture."
"What has impressed me is the
consistency of really good use of
(HUD) funds," he said.
These projects show "the time,
commitment and effort" these local
communities are putting into their
projects.
Regarding budget talks in Wash
ington, D.C., Boyd said that the
Tribes have helped themselves by
using 85 percent to 90 percent of
available funding from the Ameri
can Reinvestment and Recovery
Act of 2009.
In Grand Ronde, the Housing
Authority received one ARRA grant
and made use of 90 percent of it.
The other HUD ARRA grant on
campus was the $600,000 Health
Clinic addition, and the Tribe used
100 percent of those funds.
"They demonstrated to the ad
ministration the need across Indian
Country," and that Tribal people
have "the capacity to do really good
projects."
All this contributed to the educa
tion of policy makers, Boyd said.
"They're beginning to see what
the real need is."
In addition to quality work, Boyd
said that Tribes are benefiting as
they become "more sophisticated
about leveraging HUD funds"
with other funding sources and tax
credits.
The administration asked for
$580 million in funding for 2011,
Boyd said, and because of the re
cord in Indian Country, the admin
istration added $120 million to the
request for 2012.
Boyd also was interested in de
tails beyond the building processes.
At the newly expanded Tribal
Library, Tribal Elder and Librar
ian Marion Mercier described the
range of ages that library programs
serve.
'They're introduced to the library
program at a very young age," he ob
served. "That's very important." D
Recycle Center moved
The Recycle Center has been moved temporarily to 9675 Grand
Ronde Road. For more information, contact Tribal Facilities Manager
Michael J. Larsen at 503-879-2407. B
g Grand Ronde
Dental Clinic
Eric Webster DMD - Myron Peng DDS Erin Lange DDS
Mon, Tues, Wed and Fri
8 A.M. -5 P.M.
Thursday 9:30 AJVL - 5 PJM.
Closed for lunch 12:30 A.M -1:30 P.M.
Emergency Hour: Mon, Tues, Wed, Fri 8 A.M. Tburs 9:30 AM. f
Sheridan holding event
Sheridan will be holding a Community Yard Sale for its First
Wednesday event from 4 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 3.
Residents are encouraged to clean out their garage or set up a
booth to sell their arts and crafts. People can register for a 10-by-10-foot
space to sell whatever they'd like - as long as it is legal
for $5 per space.
For more information or to register, contact Kim Greene at 503-434-0472
or Hawley Vining at 503-913-8338, or send an e-mail to
firstwednesdayhotmail.com.
There also is a Facebook page at "First Wednesday, Sheridan,
Oregon." B
A
Please call for more information about Emergency times
We now offer Cleaning appointments 5 days a week
503-879-2020
Ad created by George Valdez
University of Oregon store
seeks artwork for sale
The University of Oregon Museum of Natural and Cultural History's
museum store, Past and Presents, is seeking a limited number of artists
interested in selling their original artwork on consignment in the store.
Pacific Northwest Tribal members interested in the opportunity should
submit five images of their work for consideration to traceyuoregon.
edu.
The university's Museum of Natural and Cultural History protects
significant collections, enhances knowledge and encourages stewardship
of human and natural history through research, preservation and educa
tion. Past and Presents offers a comprehensive selection of regional books
and gifts that reflect the museum's exhibits, collections and research, as
well as the inspiration of the Pacific Northwest landscape.
The store features handcrafted goods from local and regional artists,
including jewelry, pottery, basketry, woodworking and more.
For more information, contact Tracey Bell at 541-346-1574.