TWO ALASKA VILLAGES AWARDED $97,859 IN GRANTS TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS FOR NATIVE AMERICANS

ANCHORAGE, AK - The Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded the Chilkat Indian Village $72,859
and the Pedro Bay Village $25,000 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 quality housing to Native Americans."

The Chilkat Tribe, located in Southeast Alaska, will use the funding to provide renovation, emergency repairs and upgrading of about seven homes in the community. The Pedro Bay Tribe, located in Southwest Alaska, will use the funds to complete the construction of one home.

The funding is from HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant Program (IHBG). HUD gives $626 million in IHBG funding to
nearly 400 tribal housing entities annually. The IHBG program was established under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination (NAHASDA) Act of 1996. NAHASDA reorganized HUD's housing assistance to
Native Americans by eliminating several separate assistance programs and replacing them with "block grant" assistance. This single needs-based grant empowers tribes to determine how best to use the funding to address specific needs of their communities. Federally recognized Indian tribes or tribally designated housing entities (TDHEs) are eligible for these grants.

The funding is used for a range of affordable housing activities on Indian reservations, Alaska Native Villages and Indian areas. Recipients can use the funding to: acquire or build new housing; acquire and/or rehabilitate existing housing; establish housing services such as tenant based rental assistance or other housing support activities; provide crime prevention and safety improvements; and provide creative approaches to solving affordable housing challenges in the community.

HUD's Office of Public and Indian Housing (PIH) is responsible for managing and administering a range of programs, including the two largest federal rental assistance programs - public housing and the Housing Choice Voucher
Program (Section 8). Combined, the programs serve more than 3.2 million low-income families in the U.S. PIH also monitors the operations of the nation's approximately 3,400 public housing authorities that manage the country's
more than 1.2 million public housing units and administer other HUD programs. PIH also manages the Office of Native American Programs, which is responsible for the implementation and administration of programs specific to Native American housing and economic development. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to increasing homeownership, particularly among minorities; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development as well as enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet and espanol.hud.gov.

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