HUD awards GRIC over $7.6 million in housing block grant

February 19, 2016

 

Thomas R. Throssell

Community Newsperson

 

Gila River Indian Community received over $7.6 million in an Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) on Feb. 16. The block grants are given out every year to qualified tribes or their housing organizations to cover economical housing goals.

 

According to a HUD news release, over $660 million was distributed among 567 Native American tribes in 35 states. In Arizona alone, HUD gave out a total of $132,251,957 split among 19 Native communities, with the lion’s share going to the Navajo Nation, who received over $86 million.

 

The purpose of the IHBG is to help low-income families living in Native communities, support housing management services, and aid in figuring out low-cost housing issues.

 

Julian Castro, HUD Secretary, said of the grants, “Every family, every community in America, deserves the chance to flourish. Tribes use this funding to build new homes, or to solve their most pressing housing issues. Our partnerships with tribal communities and leaders are critical today to help ensure better housing, neighborhoods and economic opportunities for tomorrow.”

 

The news release said that funding for all tribes was calculated based on an algorithm that took specific tribe’s local needs and housing units into consideration.

 

Arizona Tribes Who Received IHBG Funds

  1. Ak-Chin Indian Community - $401, 695
  2. Cocopah Indian Tribe - $871,628
  3. CRIT- $2,158,395
  4. Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation - $102,723
  5. Gila River Indian Community - $7,677,694
  6. Havasupai Indian Tribe - $321,235
  7. Hopi Tribe - $6,170,719
  8. Hualapai Indian Tribe - $1,647,446
  9. Kaibab Band of Paiute Indians - $401,016
  10. Navajo Nation - $86,438,873
  11. Pascua Yaqui Tribe - $4,539,054
  12. Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community - $2,288,363
  13. San Carlos Apache Tribe - $6,154,085
  14. San Juan Southern Paiute Tribe - $94,182
  15. Tohono O’odham Nation - $4,459,588
  16. Tonto Apache Tribe - $50,282
  17. White Mountain Apache Tribe - $7,117,384
  18. Yavapai-Apache Nation of Camp Verde - $1,271,313
  19. Yavapai-Prescott Tribe - $50,282