Overview:
A federal agency made grant awards for tribal housing, and advanced inter-agency coordination to make home ownership achievable on tribal lands.
At the 2026 National Tribal Housing Summit yesterday, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded $150 million in Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) awards to more than 30 Native communities for housing.
The Summit, hosted by HUD, took place from Sept. 1-3 in Arlington, VA., and brought together tribal leaders and advocates with federal and state agencies and non-profits to explore policies and strategies around the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA). Enacted in 1996, the Act replaced disparate tribal housing assistance programs with one fixed federal grant.
Amid the ongoing national housing crisis, 99.8% of tribal nations face critical housing shortages, according to the Urban Institute. Housing is considered a key determinant of health, with unstable housing associated with poorer physical and mental health outcomes and lack of health care access.
Evidence indicates that residential instability is associated with a wide range of adverse health outcomes, including poorer self-rated health, health care access, and mental health outcomes
The IHBG awards range from $1.9 million to $7.5 million and will go toward the construction, acquisition, and rehabilitation of housing units on tribal lands. Recipients span Indian Country, including the Mi’kmaq Nation, Pueblo of Jemez Housing Authority, Pala Band of Luiseno Mission Indians, and more.
Also at the Summit, HUD’s Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) and the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to make homeownership on tribal trust lands achievable by implementing the Tribal Trust Land Homeownership Act of 2025. Signed into law earlier this year, the Act reduces the BIA’s mortgage processing times.
HUD also recognized housing efforts of Native communities with Awards for Excellence in Tribal Communities. Recipients include:
New Housing Construction: Citizen Potawatomi Nation constructed 66 single-family duplexes featuring high-performance insulation and heat pumps. The development is designed to withstand extreme weather while reducing heating and cooling energy use by 70 percent for low-income Native families preparing for homeownership.
Community Development: Cook Inlet Housing Authority transformed a historically blighted area of Anchorage through a $51 million neighborhood renewal project. Leveraging HUD funding alongside tax credits, they built nearly 150 affordable rental homes.
Supporting Native Youth: Tohono O’odham Ki:Ki Association developed a secure campus on the reservation for up to 45 Native youth. The project supports family stability and strengthens cultural connections within the Tribal community.
