HUD AWARDS $1.6 MILLION TO THREE ALASKA TRIBES TO ADDRESS MOLD ISSUES IN NATIVE ALASKAN HOMES
Today's awards to Alaska among total of $12.4 million awarded to 18 tribal communities in 12 states

ANCHORAGE - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the award of $800,000 to the Cook Inlet Tribal Association in Anchorage, $553,150 to the Craig Tribal Association and $200,000 to the Yakutat Tlingit Tribe in Yakutat to support mold remediation in housing owned or operated by tribes, tribally designated housing entities, or tribal organizations, with priority given to units with the most evidence of mold.

The $1.6 million awarded competitively by HUD today to three Alaska were among awards today to 18 Tribal communities in 13 states totaling $12.4 million. This is the largest amount to date awarded by HUD for this purpose. The funding is made available through HUD's Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) program, whichaddresses a wide variety of community development and affordable housing activities. (See chart below for list of winners.)

"Every family in America deserves a safe and healthy place to call home," said HUD Secretary Julián Castro. "These mold remediation grants demonstrate HUD's commitment to partnering with Native American communities to improve tribal housing and create healthy communities where families can thrive."

For more than five years, HUD, in collaboration with, among others, the Denali Commission, the Environmental Protection Agency, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Native Alaskan housing authorities and housing entities and the Cold Climate Research Center to use Native and cutting edge building technologies to develop housing better suited to and more sustainable given Alaska's challenging climactic conditions.

In addition to building prototype homes that are "tiger" and significantly more energy efficient, their efforts have focused on improved ventilation to prevent moisture the accumulation of moisture and the consequent growth of mold. With HUD funding, such prototype homes have been or are being built in Alaskan communities as diverse as Anaktuvuk Pass, Point Lay, Nuiqsut, Newtok, Atmautluak and Atqasuk.

Funds awarded to Alaska Tribal communities today will:

The Cook Inlet Tribal Council ($800,000) - through its sub recipient, Cook Inlet Housing Authority (CIHA) - has identified an initial pool of potential target housing units for the mold prevention and remediation program. Eligible applicants will receive a comprehensive inspection of their housing unit to identify conditions requiring mold prevention and/or remediation. Based on the inspection results, CIHA will then develop a comprehensive prevention and remediation plan and cost estimate; implementation will be tailored to the needs and circumstances of that specific housing unit.

CIHA's mold prevention and remediation approach will incorporate four key strategies: 1) reduce indoor condensation potential to deny the formation of water on cold surfaces; 2) prevent bulk water penetration from the outdoors through the building envelope; 3) ventilate the indoor environment consistently and at the correct air flow rate to control indoor relative humidity at the best possible level for the home, furnishings and occupant comfort; and, 4) provide in-depth occupant education.

The Yakutat Tlingit Tribe ($300,000), through and its sub recipient Tlingit Haida Regional Housing Authority, will implement a Mold Remediation and Prevention program that will provide long-term benefits to include: 1) 30 beneficiary households will receive valuable Healthy Home education that will enable families to live in a safe decent house with a suitable living environment with improved air quality; 2) mold remediation will be completed on a minimum of 5 beneficiary households; 3) improved health to Tribal Citizens'; 4) discretionary funds within the community creating an economic benefit for the community of Yakutat; and 5) long-term benefits will be realized through the Mold Prevention program and education of local Healthy Home Educators and in-turn provide household education and behavioral modification. Priority will be given to elders, households with children, and tribal members with asthma.

The Craig Tribal Association ($553,150) will implement a Mold Remediation and Prevention program utilizing an approach described as: 1) installing roof drainage systems to divert roof rainwater away from foundations on soil that slopes away from the house; 2) correct site conditions causing drainage toward the foundations of troubled homes, 3) patch cracks and voids in poured concrete basement foundation walls; 4) correct inadequate attic insulation and ventilation; 5) repair roofing leaks at the seams of HVAC and exhaust fans; 6) ensure that effective bathroom exhaust fans are in place and operational; 7) replace kitchen exhaust fans with exterior vented range hoods or newer wall-mounted exhaust fans; 8) check Heat Recovery Ventilation (HRV) systems for proper airflow and pressure balance to all supply grilles; 9) Inspect HRV system, ductwork, and filters regularly, and perform maintenance as outlined in the manufacturer's instructions; and, 10) educate residents on the proper use of HRV systems and controls.

All the grantees will address the source of moisture entering their homes by using construction materials and techniques known to resist mold, and ensuring that staff or contractors use safe practices for identifying and remediating mold. They will also educate residents of the units on ways to prevent mold from reoccurring in the future. The awards' source of grant funding was first used in Fiscal Year 2014 through a set-aside to remediate and prevent mold in housing units owned or operated by tribes and TDHEs. Last year nine tribes received grants to remove unhealthy levels of mold, including the Havasupai Tribe in Arizona where mold is a common problem due in part to frequent flooding in low-lying areas of the Grand Canyon.

Established in 1977, HUD's ICDBG program assists Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to meet their community development needs. Federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, groups or nations (including Alaska Indian, Aleuts and Eskimos,) Alaska Native villages, and eligible tribal organizations compete for this funding. A second more general round of ICDBG funding will be announced later this year.

HUD administers six programs that are specifically targeted to American Indian, Alaska Native, or native Hawaiian individuals and families, and federally recognized tribal governments. In Fiscal Year 2015 HUD received approximately $732 million to fund programs to support housing and development initiatives in American Indian, Alaska Native, and native Hawaiian communities. Through innovative programming, American Indian and Alaska Native tribal governments have created sustainable and community-driven solutions to their housing and community development challenges.

The winners of grants to address mold today are:

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.

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