MEMORANDUM OF THE CHAIRMAN To Members of the Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs: Although Congress has established a National Housing Policy that every American family is entitled to a "decent, safe and sanitary" dwelling, we are still far from achieving this goal for many Americans. This is particularly true of the American Indian. Despite the existence of several Federal programs designed to provide Indian housing, the condition of much Indian housing today can only be described as deplorable. The reasons for this include such factors as the prevalence of low incomes, the predominance of trust land, unique cultural patterns and the multiplicity of Federal agencies involved in the Indian housing effort. This report highlights these and other factors contributing to the sad state of Indian housing. It provides for the first time a comprehensive collection of data and materials essential to an understanding of the Indian housing problem. The report was prepared for the Indian Affairs Subcommittee, chaired by Senator James Abourezk, by Thomas B. Williams and Robert D. Leatherman of the Committee's professional staff. Mr. Leatherman, an attorney with the Department of Housing and Urban Development, is serving on the staff as a Congressional Fellow, sponsored by the American Political Science Association. This report merits study by Members of the Congress and all those who are concerned with the problems of Indian housing. I have therefore asked that it be published as a Committee print with the hope that it will stimulate fresh thinking and new approaches to helping every Indian family achieve decent housing. (III) HENRY M. JACKSON, Chairman. CONTENTS Memorandum of the Chairman_. HUD Indian housing programs.. 1. Low rent program__. 2. Mutual-help homeownership program_ BIA housing improvement program... Rural housing programs of the Farmers Home Administration_. 1. Road construction__ 2. Water and sanitation facilities.. 3. Program administration.. Problems with the present program_ 1. The tri-agency agreement.. 2. The 1974 Housing and Community Development Act_. 3. Building on Indian lands.......... Page iii 1 3 4 8 10 10 10 11 14 14 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 19 3. Develop a comprehensive Indian housing and community develop- 19 4. Relative priority accorded Indian projects. 5. Special legal relationship.. 6. Regional characteristics. Possible options and/or policy alternatives_ 1. Maintain the status quo with administrative changes.... 2. Maintain the status quo with certain legislative and administrative APPENDIXES I. Significant dates in Indian housing__ Slow progress in eliminating substandard Indian housing (Re- GAO communication to HUD, dated September 24, 1974, re- III. "Indian Housing: A Background Paper", George W. Rucker.. V. "Toward an Indian Housing Delivery System", Housing Assistance VII. "Indian Housing Issues and State Roles", Housing Assistance Coun- cil, Inc. 197 VIII. HUD circulars and legal memorandums forming the basis for tribal governments to participate in public housing programs. Memorandum from PHA Commissioner Marie C. McGuire to Central Office Division and branch heads, Regional Direc- tors, subject: Low-rent housing for Indian tribes on Indian Memorandum from PHA Legal Division to PHA Commis- sioner, dated July 19, 1962, subject: Low-rent housing on Indian reservations covered by Public Law 280.. Circular dated December 5, 1962, subject: PHA mutual-help IX. Various agreements and memorandiums of understandings entered into by HUD, BIA, and IHS between 1963 and 1969 regarding Communication to BIA Commissioner Philleo Nash from PHA Memorandum of understanding concerning level of effort for fiscal years 1970-74, between HUD, BIA and IHS.. Memorandum of understanding pertaining to the provision of water supply and sewerage facilities by the Indian Health Service for Indian housing projects supported by the Housing Assistance Administration and the Bureau of Indian Affairs, between HUD, BIA and IHS....... X. Portions of HUD handbook and circulars relating to Indian Housing HUD circular HPMC-FHA 7410.7, responsibility for planning and development of low-rent public housing in Indian areas.. HUD circular HM 7495.1, utilization of additional annual con- HUD handbook RHM 7690.1, Alaska remote housing handbook_ HUD circular HPMC-FHA 7580.1, Indian employment, drain- ing, and economic benefits from public housing assistance.___ HUD circular HPMC-FHA 7580.2A, expediting construction of mutual-help projects in Indian areas.. XI. 1974 Housing and Community Development Act (Public Law 93- 347 |