ALASKA TRIBES RECEIVE $3.4 MILLION TO IMPROVE HOUSING CONDITIONS FOR ALASKA NATIVES

ANCHORAGE, AK - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded several grants today to improve housing conditions for Alaska Natives:

"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 funding is from HUD's Indian Housing Block Grant Program. 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 and Indian areas. Recipients
can use the funding to build or rehabilitate existing housing; establish housing services such as community centers or clinics to support the housing; provide crime prevention and safety for housing; and the creation of activities that 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.

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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.