Legislation Gives Tribes Greater Control Over Housing Assistance Program

Press Release

Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed legislation to provide individual tribes greater control over the Native American Housing Assistance Program. Congressman Kevin Cramer supports the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act, which reauthorizes the program through 2018, turns it into a block grant program, and contains additional measures giving tribes more flexibility and autonomy in its implementation.

The legislation would:

Automatically approve tribal waiver requests for exemptions from housing plan, environmental review, or development cost requirements if the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development does not act within 60 days of receiving the request

Give tribes the authority to substitute their own environmental reviews and maximum rent and homebuyer payment provisions for current federal reviews and provisions

Waive the 30% rent cap currently in place for tribal affordable housing

Establish a joint program between the Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to prevent homelessness among Native American veterans

"This is a common sense bill to make housing assistance more efficient for individual tribes. It prevents unnecessary delays in housing project construction, and gives Native American tribes more room to implement the program in a way that fits their needs," said Congressman Cramer.

The bill is supported by the National American Indian Housing Council (NAIHC) and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

Source