Local News Release

Information by State  Print version

HUD AWARDS THE ST. REGIS MOHAWK TRIBE $2.4 MILLION IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS

NEW YORK - The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the St. Regis Mohawk Tribe (the Akwesasne Housing Authority) $2,459,756 in grants today to improve housing conditions for Native Americans.

"This funding helps tribal communities provide decent, safe, affordable housing for its members," said HUD Secretary Alphonso Jackson, who announced the grants today. "HUD is proud to partner with tribal governments in our efforts to provide housing to all people."

The Tribe will use the funding to renovate and modernize 32 single-family housing units, build an additional nine (9) new affordable, single-family units, provide rental assistance to 25 low-income families and provide education and outreach to both the Housing Authority staff and interested and prospective homebuyers.

The funding is from HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant Program. The program was established in 1996 under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination (NAHASDA) Act of 1996. NAHASDA reorganized the system of housing assistance to Native Americans from HUD by eliminating several separate programs of assistance and replacing them with this block grant program. Federally recognized Indian tribes or their tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs) and some state recognized tribes are eligible for this formula grant.

The funding is used for a range of affordable housing activities on Indian reservations and Indian areas. Recipients can use the funding to build or rehabilitate existing housing; establish housing services such as community centers or clinics to support the housing; provide crime prevention and safety for housing and the creation of activities that provide creative approaches to solving affordable housing challenges in the community.

# # #