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About Smoke signals. (Grand Ronde, Or.) 19??-current | View Entire Issue (June 1, 2015)
16 JUNE 1, 2015 S MOKE S IGNALS New Tribal apartments open By Brent Merrill Dugger said discus- Smoke Signals staff writer sions among Housing The Tribe’s newest staff about the wait- housing opportunities ing lists for one- and were realized when the two-bedroom units five-building, 20-apart- began as far back as ment Chxi Musam Illihi late 2011. complex was dedicated “The discussion with a grand opening on was regarding the Thursday, May 21. fact that those wait The apartments, 115 lists were virtually Wind River Drive, are near stagnant,” said Dug- the Tribal Housing De- ger. “At that point, partment offices on the Shonn brought for- north side of Tyee Road. ward the idea to staff Tribal Council member and the board that Jon A. George gave the he felt it was time invocation and Interim to look at moving to- Housing Director Shonn ward a new type of Leno spoke on behalf of the development.” Tribe’s Housing program. Shonn said he pro- Photo by Michelle Alaimo “We placed another foot- posed the idea for the Shonn Leno, left, Grand Ronde Housing Department interim manager, and Tribal Council Chairman print on our land,” George apartments and then said in his opening blessing. Reyn Leno cut the ribbon during the Chxi Musam Illihi North Apartment complex grand opening on went to work with Leno said the dedication Thursday, May 21. Dugger on contact- sends a message to the ing several Tribes community. throughout the Northwest. He said White, Tribal Council, the General “As a Tribe we take one step they wanted to see what kind of 0DQDJHU·V2IÀFHDQGWKHRIÀFLDOV closer toward our path of healing housing those Tribes had developed present from Gerding Builders. since Restoration,” said Leno. “The and to learn everything they could “This was a team effort,” he said. opening of these homes is just one while compiling data they used in a Tribal Council Chairman Reyn more piece of the story that contin- report to the then-Housing Author- Leno thanked Tribal Council mem- Visitors toured the one- and two-bed- ues to be written about the Grand ity Board of Commissioners. bers present – Jack Giffen Jr., Jon room apartments. Refreshments Ronde people. As a Tribe, we have The board passed the plan in 2013 A. George, Ed Pearsall and Denise were provided in one of the units and been known for our resiliency and and received approval from the U.S. Harvey – for their support. the views of Spirit Mountain were the opening of these homes makes Department of Housing and Urban “As a council, you know we among the biggest talking points. a very important statement to this Development shortly thereafter. listen to our membership,” said The streets are named after riv- community that not only are we “Some of those people had been Reyn Leno. “Looking back, I never ers or creeks on the Tribe’s reserva- here to stay, but more of our people RQWKHZDLWLQJOLVWIRUÀYH\HDUVRU thought we would see these houses tion lands and each street sign has are coming home.” more,” said Shonn Leno. “This will LQWKHVHÀHOGVWKDWZHXVHGWRFXW the Chinuk Wawa version below the Leno thanked his staff for the EHJRRGIRUSHRSOHDQGGHÀQLWHO\ across when we were young. The English translation. work they put in to get the project serve that niche.” ÀUVWSURMHFWZDV*UDQG0HDGRZV “This is pretty sweet,” said Giffen. done. There are 15 two-bedroom apart- and we were recognizing the hous- ´+RSHIXOO\WKLVZLOOÀOOWKHQHHGZH “First of all I want to thank PHQWVDQGÀYHRQHEHGURRPDSDUW- ing needs then, and here we are have and it’s a chance to help the Randy Bean,” said Leno. “Randy ments open and available to those today. I’m looking forward to the members who need it.” has been my eyes and ears for this on the waiting list. next project.” Each building has four apart- operation.” “The waiting list will be balanced The Lenos cut a white ribbon ments and a separate laundry Leno also thanked Engineering now,” said Shonn Leno. “In fact, we stretched across the walkway at Unit room. Each unit’s electrical and and Public Works Manager Jesse should only have single digit wait 'DQGWKHJUDQGRSHQLQJZDVRIÀFLDO hot water systems are located in lists now.” a separate closet so Housing staff Many of the units are handi- can make repairs without having to capped accessible and each top- enter individual apartments. ÁRRUDSDUWPHQWKDVVRODUWXEHVIRU Rooms are wide open with the added light. heater vents off the ground so fur- The apartments were built us- niture can be placed anywhere in ing Structural Insulated Panels. the room. Floors are vinyl plank like According to Shonn Leno, the new those used in some of the Elders’ ŽŵĞ>ĞĂƌŶ,ŽǁzŽƵĂŶ&ƵƌƚŚĞƌzŽƵƌĚƵĐĂƟŽŶtŝƚŚ panels should help keep noise be- units. The twist-open windows give tŝůůĂŵĞƩĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛ƐDWƌŽŐƌĂŵ͊ tween units down as well as provide way to great views of Spirit Moun- DKRVWRIRWKHUEHQHÀWV WDLQHVSHFLDOO\IURPWKHXSSHUÁRRUV Shonn Leno said the panels are “I’m really looking forward to this,” Join us on June 17th from 12:00 to made in Montana and that they said Tribal member Veronica Gaston. 1:00 ĨŽƌůƵŶĐŚĂŶĚĂŶŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶ found out about them from the Tribes Gaston said she had been wait- they visited in Washington state. ing a long time and that she was ƐĞƐƐŝŽŶŽŶtŝůůĂŵĞƩĞhŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛Ɛ Shonn Leno said the playground WKHÀUVWSHUVRQRQWKHOLVWWRJHWD DĂƐƚĞƌ͛ƐŽĨƵƐŝŶĞƐƐĚŵŝŶŝƐƚƌĂƟŽŶ at the complex was designed with one-bedroom unit. She moved into younger children in mind and that her unit on Wednesday, May 27. and learn how YOU ĐĂŶŐĞƚĂƚƵŝƟŽŶ the area will eventually have picnic “I love the colors, I love the view ĚŝƐĐŽƵŶƚ͊ tables. and I love the location,” said Gas- As the grand opening ceremony, ton. “Now I can be closer to my Lunch will be provided for those who which was organized by Tribal family and I can be more involved ĂƩĞŶĚ͘dŚĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶƐĞƐƐŝŽŶǁŝůůďĞŝŶ Council Chief of Staff Stacia Mar- with the Tribe. I’m moving home.” ZDϭϮϲŝŶĚƵůƚĚƵĐĂƟŽŶ tin, was winding down and people Groundbreaking for the 20-unit ZHUHÀOLQJEDFNLQWRWKHLUFDUVDQG apartment complex was in June dŚŝƐĞǀĞŶƚŝƐŽƉĞŶƚŽƚŚĞƉƵďůŝĐĂŶĚĂůů walking back to their homes and of- 2013 and the need for the units ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJŵĞŵďĞƌƐ͘ ÀFHV7ULEDOPHPEHU.HOO\0HUFLHU was based on the Housing Depart- walked up after getting to see the ment’s long-standing waiting list apartment he will be moving into. for one-bedroom units. Please RSVP to Mercedes Reeves “I’m so happy I have tears in my “This was actually Shonn’s idea,” ŵĞƌĐĞĚĞƐ͘ƌĞĞǀĞƐΛŐƌĂŶĚƌŽŶĚĞ͘ŽƌŐŽƌϱϬϯ-879-2282 eyes,” said Mercier. “It means a lot to said Housing Department Admin- PHWRÀQDOO\KDYHDSODFH7KLVLVSHU- istrative Program Manager Joani /ĨLJŽƵĐĂŶ͛ƚĂƩĞŶĚƚŚĞŝŶĨŽƌŵĂƟŽŶƐĞƐƐŝŽŶ͕ƐƚŽƉďLJtŝůůĂŵĞƩĞ fect for me and I’m so appreciative.” Dugger. “He was the one that said hŶŝǀĞƌƐŝƚLJ͛ƐƚĂďůĞŝŶƚŚĞ'ŽǀĞƌŶĂŶĐĞƵŝůĚŝŶŐĨƌŽŵϵ͗ϯϬƚŽϭϭ͗ϯϬŽŶ Tribal Elder Dakota Whitecloud we needed to finally address the :ƵŶĞϭϳƚŚ smudged the units a couple of days needs of the people who had been after the grand opening. Q on the waiting list the longest.”
