National American Indian Housing Council
Advocating for Tribal Housing
Grassroots Advocacy for Tribal Housing
More than Just a Roof: Advocating for Quality Housing in Tribal Communities
Over 25 years, Tribal housing programs have utilized the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act, or NAHASDA, to improve housing opportunities throughout tribal communities. NAHASDA is a critical mechanism for Tribal housing programs to receive funding while providing more control over affordable housing decisions and flexibility to address specific housing needs. Although NAHASDA expired in 2013, Congress still funds its programs each year. Reauthorizing NAHASDA would provide tribal housing programs with greater certainty to provide services and resources for the next decade. Join NAIHC in urging Congress to reauthorize NAHASDA.
NAIHC encourages tribal housing directors, board members, and advocates to meet with their respective Senators and Representatives in Washington, DC, and their home districts. Contact NAIHC when your tribal and program representatives visit Washington, DC, for assistance scheduling meetings with Congressional and federal officials.
Advocacy Materials
Tribal leaders, housing program directors, board members, and advocates are welcome to use and share NAIHC’s talking points and one-pagers on current legislative and funding priorities.
NAIHC created these documents to help guide future advocacy work and promote tribal housing funding opportunities in each Congressional cycle.
Supporting Materials
- 119th Policy Priorities (PDF)
- Indian Housing History / Under NAHASDA (PDF)
- Sample Tribal Resolution
- Sample Support Letter for NAHASDA for NAIHC Members
- Key Committees – NAHASDA
- One-page background on NAHASDA and recent legislative activity
Contact Blythe McWhirter at [email protected] for questions or more information.
Current Tribal Housing Priorities
- Reauthorize NAHASDA
- Makes the THUD-VASH a permanent program
- Streamlines environmental review process
- Provides housing assistance for Native students
- Allows IHS funding to be used for sanitation facilities construction
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Reintroduce the following bills:
- The NAHASDA Reauthorization Act
- Extends federal housing assistance programs for American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians with revisions to streamline and expand allowable housing activities.
- The Native American Rural Homeownership Improvement Act
- Permanently authorizes Native community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to deploy USDA Section 502 Single Family Home Loan funds to Native Americans.
- The Tribal HUD-VASH Act
- Provides permanent statutory authority for the Tribal HUD-VASH program.
- The Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act
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Modernizes the Bureau of Indian Affairs residential leasing, mortgage approval, and Title Status Report (TSR) processes to enhance access to mortgage capital on trust land.
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- The Tribal Rural Housing Access Act
- Sets aside 5% of select RHS program funding for Tribes and TDHEs.
- The Tribal Tax Investment and Reform Act
- Treats Indian tribal governments as states for tax-exempt bond allocations and repeals limitations on their eligibility to issue tax-exempt bonds.
- The Inspiring Nationally Vibrant Economies Sustaining Tribes (INVEST) Act
- Expands access to New Markets Tax Credits to assist Native American communities.
- The Affordable Housing Credit Improvement Act
- Directs state allocation plan selection criteria for Low-income Housing Tax credits to include the housing needs of Native Americans and prioritizes housing developments in Indian Areas.
Join the Monthly Legislative Committee Meeting
Join our Legislative Committee on the first Thursday of every month at 1:00 p.m. ET to learn more about the latest Tribal legislative updates, grant announcements, and other policy and program updates from NAIHC and other partners.
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