SWONAP ensures that safe, decent and affordable housing is available to Native American families, creates economic opportunities for Tribes and Indian housing residents, assists Tribes in the formulation of plans and strategies for community development, and assures fiscal integrity in the operation of the programs. Join Our Mailing List.

Service Area: Arizona, California, Nevada, New Mexico & Ysleta del Sur (TX)

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Tribal News

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HUD Awards $95.5 Million for Affordable Housing and Community Development Activities in Native American Communities

The U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded $95 million to 55 communities through the Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Program. Grant funds may be used for infrastructure, community facilities, housing rehabilitation, economic development, and more to support Native American and Alaskan Native families on Indian reservations and in other Indian areas. The ICDBG program is a competitive grant that provides a range of eligible activities on reservations and related areas. Eligible activities include housing rehabilitation, land acquisition, roads, water and sewer facilities, and single or multipurpose community buildings.     View the list of awardees here.

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Two Tribal Nations Receive First Round of Grid Resilience Investments

DOE announced two tribal nations and four states were selected to receive the first round of Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants funding, totaling $50 million. This program aims to modernize the electric grid to reduce impacts due to extreme weather and natural disaster and ensure the reliability of the power sector’s infrastructure.

The tribal nations awarded the first round of funding for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023:

1. Ewiiaapaayp Band of Kumeyaay Indians (California) ($182,000) aims to select projects that provide benefits to the tribal community, including reduced greenhouse gas emissions, fewer and shorter outages, and opportunities for tribal workforce development. The Tribe also aims to continue developing a microgrid system and integrating it with grid power.
2. Navajo Nation (Arizona, New Mexico, Utah) ($1.8 million) aims to reduce the number and duration of outages caused by natural hazard disruptions by hardening power lines, facilities, substations, and other systems. Selected projects will address other outdated and/or failing energy infrastructure items and materials like power lines and poles, transformers, and bucket trucks, while reducing the energy burden experienced by tribal members. 

Applications still open: The Grid Resilience State and Tribal Formula Grants awards are made on a rolling basis as applications are received. The application deadline for Fiscal Years 2022 and 2023 was extended for tribes, including Alaska Native Corporations, until August 31, 2023.

 

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SWONAP Spotlight

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San Carlos Apache Health Center – Eastern Arizona    $10 Million

Clearinghouse CDFI (CCDFI) provided $10 million in NMTC allocation for The San Carlos Apache Health Center in Eastern Arizona. This financing supports the construction, development, and leasing of an approximately 45,000-square- foot hospital annex in Peridot, Arizona, and a 34,000-square-foot healthcare clinic in Bylas, Arizona, which will include a pharmacy department.

The San Carlos Apache Health Center is an integral component of a comprehensive strategic plan developed by the San Carlos Apache Healthcare Corporation. The plan aims to enhance healthcare services for Tribal Members residing on the Reservation. The San Carlos Apache Health Center serves a historically medically underserved population of 3,500 patients annually. This development creates 84 construction jobs and 30 permanent jobs while retaining 64 jobs.

Read the full story here: Just Funded – San Carlos Apache Health Center

Financing Provided:  $1,216,650

Location:  Peridot, AZ

Impact:  Serves a historically medically underserved tribal community serving 3,500 patients annually, while creating 84 construction jobs, 30 permanent jobs, and retaining 64 jobs

Purpose:  Financing for the construction, development, and leasing of an approximately 45,000-square- foot hospital annex in Peridot, Arizona, and a 34,000-square-foot healthcare clinic in Bylas, Arizona, which will include a pharmacy department.

Year Funded:  2023

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Pueblo of Laguna, New Mexico – Low Income Housing Tax Credit Project

February 1, 2023- SWONAP Deputy Administrator Cheryl Dixon Zuni and staff attended the Groundbreaking Ceremony at Pueblo of Laguna for the Laguna #3 Townhome project. This development will provide much needed affordable housing for members of the Laguna Pueblo.  Project funding comes from the Low Income Housing Tax Credit program.

From Left to Right: SWONAP staff Ben Weiss, Lisa Smith, Deputy Administrator Cheryl Dixon Zuni with Pueblo of Laguna
Governor Herrera

View More Photos

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Hear from John Flores with the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians on the Tribe's microgrid project.

Project Success Story: Microgrid Boosts San Pasqual Band’s Energy Sovereignty and Security Taking advantage of their abundant natural resources, the San Pasqual Band of Mission Indians has followed an environmentally conscious approach of working with the land and the climate to support community energy sovereignty and security. “As a Tribe, we want to be energy independent. That means tapping into our natural resources—not oil or coal—but the sunlight,” explained John Flores, Environmental Director and Water Manager for San Pasqual. Read more and watch the video.

Cocopah Partners with NAU On Water Quality Testing Cocopah Environmental Protection Office in Action, Episode 2: Graduate students from Northern Arizona University partner with the tribe on water quality testing of various places along the Colorado River and on all three reservations.

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White House Tribal Nations Summit Recap

President Biden hosted the 2022 White House Tribal Nations Summit Nov. 30–Dec. 1 at the U.S. Department of the Interior in Washington, D.C. Building on the 2021 Summit and the progress made to strengthen nation-to-nation relationships and invest record levels of resources in tribal communities, the Summit featured robust and meaningful engagement with tribal leaders on important issues facing tribal communities. Video: View the remarks from President Biden and Vice President Harris. Fact Sheet: The White House released a fact sheet covering new policies and initiatives announced or discussed at the Summit, including:

• Tribal Clean Energy Transition Initiative
• Presidential Memorandum and New Policies for Tribal Consultation
• New Best-Practices Report for Tribal Treaty and Reserved Rights
• Implementing Tribal Co-Management and Co-Stewardship of Federal Lands and Waters
• New Indigenous Knowledge Guidance for Federal Agencies
• Access to Capital in Indian Country
• Implementation of the Indian Energy Purchase Preference at Federal Facilities
• Electric Vehicle (EV) Initiative for Tribal Nations
• Implementation of the Buy Indian Act
• 10-Year National Plan on Native Language Revitalization

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Tribal Leaders Handbook on Homeownership

The Center for Indian Country Development's Tribal Leaders Handbook on Homeownership provides detailed examples, case studies, checklists, and information on developing affordable homeownership in Indian Country. This essential guide provides information on new mortgage programs (government and private), the new kinds of lenders (loan funds, Native CDFIs), and the new energies that are transforming Indian housing. Download a copy HERE.

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Updated Healthy Home Checklist from EPA/CDC/HUD/DHHS

Home assessments can help make homes healthier. Checklist covers the major contributors to asthma and allergies, with suggested action items that are generally simple and low cost. Download a copy HERE.

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ONAP OFFERS FREE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING

HUD’s Office of Native American Programs offers FREE Training and Technical Assistance (T/TA) for Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities for a wide variety of tribal housing and related issues. To request specialized Technical Assistance and/or Training from SWONAP click here and complete the form and email to Debbie Broermann at Deborah.S.Broermann@hud.gov or Cheryl Dixon Zuni at CherylDixonZuni@hud.gov. 

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