At Hearing, Warren Unveils New Bill Addressing Housing Crisis for Rural Tribal Communities
Tribal Rural Housing Access Act Would Guarantee Housing Funds for Tribal Communities by Setting Aside 5% of Certain USDA Rural Housing Service Funds
“This (bill) wouldn’t cost the federal government an extra dime, but it would go a long way to beginning to fulfill our trust and treaty obligations that we have ignored for so long… Let me be clear, we need a major federal investment to increase our housing supply if we want to get out of this affordability crisis, and a 5% set aside for tribal communities would be an important start.”
Washington, D.C. – At a hearing of the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee focused on addressing the housing crisis, U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren unveiled new legislation to guarantee federal funds for rural tribal communities facing severe housing shortages and significant barriers to finding housing and making much-needed repairs – the Tribal Rural Housing Access Act. The legislation would direct the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to set aside 5% of certain Rural Housing Service (RHS) funds for Tribal Nations, tribally designated housing entities, tribal members, and tribal-owned entities, including Native community development financial institutions.
In questioning, Peggy Bailey, a housing expert and the Vice President of Housing and Income Security at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, spoke about the federal government’s failure to adequately fund tribal housing programs and the need for Senator Warren’s bill.
Senator Warren noted that her bill wouldn’t cost the federal government extra money, but would help fulfill the trust and treaty obligations the federal government has neglected for too long, building on legislation introduced by other members of the Committee to address the housing crisis in Tribal communities.
Transcript: Examining Proposals to Address Housing Affordability, Availability, and Other Community Needs
U.S. Senate Committee of Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs
March 12, 2024
Senator Elizabeth Warren: So we're in the middle of a housing crisis all across America. Today, though, I want to focus on the housing crisis in Indian country. The federal government has failed to live up to its promises to Tribal Nations. And one of the ways that we've fallen short, we have woefully underfunded programs for Native communities.
In the 25 years since the Indian Housing Block Grant Program was created, Congress has consistently failed to put enough money into the program, even to keep up with inflation, let alone the massive housing needs in Indian Country.
Ms. Bailey, you are an expert on the housing needs of historically marginalized communities. How have tribal communities been affected by the federal government's failure to adequately fund tribal housing programs?
Peggy Bailey, Vice President Of Housing And Income Security, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Thank you, Senator. This is such a critical issue that we don't talk enough about. For tribal nations, housing quality is a huge issue. We've let—we haven't helped them invest in housing, in order to keep their properties from deteriorating. Housing overcrowding is an issue. And homelessness in general shows up differently in Indian country than it does in non-tribal areas. So it's been, this huge disinvestment has been, is critically important to highlight.
Senator Warren: Okay, so poor condition of the housing, a lot of homelessness, a lot of overcrowding.
You know, the federal government's refusal to provide basic funding to Native communities is one of the reasons that I introduced my Honoring Promises to Native Nations Act back in 2022. One of the core promises of that bill is that tribal communities should be entitled to 5% of federal dollars, as tribal groups have demanded for years, in order to fulfill the federal government's trust and treaty obligations.
Today, as this Committee considers proposals to address our housing crisis, I am reintroducing Rural Housing Service provisions from the Honoring Promises as a standalone legislation. The Tribal Rural Housing Access Act would set aside 5% of Rural Housing Service funds for Tribes, Native community development financial institutions, native-owned entities and tribal members.
My bill has been endorsed by Native CDFI Network, National Congress of American Indians, National American Indian Housing Council, Housing Assistance Council, and National Rural Housing Coalition. Ms. Bailey, you’ve had a chance, I think, to look at my bill. Would my bill help address some of the housing challenges faced by Native communities?
Ms. Bailey: Absolutely, it would. It's our understanding that only about 1% of these resources currently go to Tribal Nations. And so being able to increase that to 5% would make a huge difference in all of the areas that are necessary on tribal lands.
I think another thing that is important that I want to highlight is in order for them to be able to spend those resources, it’s critically important for us to look at how the Department of Interior, the Department of Justice, and HUD are working together. We've got to improve the bureaucracy and streamline that so that we can truly honor the nation-to-nation relationship we should be having with Tribal Nations.
Senator Warren: That’s a very powerful point.
I want to underscore though, in my bill, this wouldn't cost the federal government an extra dime, but it would go a long way to beginning to fulfill our trust and treaty obligations that we have ignored for so long.
Other members of this Committee have already done important work on this issue. Senator Smith and Senator Rounds have a bill that would set aside funds for Native CDFIs to administer the 502 direct loan program, which plays a critical role in helping low income individuals buy and really rehabilitate homes.
Our bills go hand in hand. My bill counts every dollar of Senator Smith’s and Senator Round’s set aside toward my 5% set aside, and it sets aside funding for Tribes in other Rural Housing Service programs as well, including housing subsidies for farm laborers.
Let me be clear, we need a major federal investment to increase our housing supply if we want to get out of this affordability crisis, and a 5% set aside for tribal communities would be an important start.
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