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- By Native News Online Staff
WASHINGTON — U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia L. Fudge on Thursday announced $450 million in Indian Housing Block Grants (IHBG) to Indian tribes across the country to respond to COVID-19. This funding will be used to help Tribes carry out affordable housing activities to protect the safety and health of their Tribal members and communities.
“With the enactment of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, President Biden is making a clear statement that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring equitable access to communities hardest hit by the pandemic,” Secretary Marcia L. Fudge said. “HUD understands the significance of our responsibility to serve American Indian and Alaska Native families, and the Department is dedicated to working in a government-to-government manner with Tribes to quickly bring much-needed relief to Tribal communities.”
Indian Housing Block Grants primarily benefit low-income American Indian and Alaska Native families.The amount of each grant is based on a formula that considers local needs and housing units managed. Eligible activities for the funds include housing development, operation and maintenance, modernization of existing housing, housing services to eligible families and individuals, housing management services, crime prevention and safety activities, and model activities that provide creative approaches to solving affordable housing problems in Indian Country.
“As Secretary, I plan to work closely with Tribal Nations and across the Federal Government to ensure that we improve equity in housing, tackle the pandemic, and proactively address the climate crisis in Tribal communities. I especially look forward to working with Deb Haaland, Secretary of the Interior, on these critical issues, as well as on working to expand homeownership on trust land,” Sec. Fudge said in a letter sent to tribes on March 18, 2021.
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