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.”