Oregon has launched the Tribal Housing Grant Fund, a $10 million initiative aimed at addressing housing needs among the state’s nine federally recognized tribes.
State housing leaders say the program reflects a shift toward honoring tribal sovereignty by allowing tribes to design and manage housing solutions that match local priorities.
Andrea Bell, executive director of Oregon Housing and Community Services, said the goal is to “deliver solutions that are a reflection of each of their tribal members’ needs,” while reducing administrative barriers that can strain limited resources.
Native communities experience homelessness at disproportionately high rates, but traditional federal programs often fail to fit the tribal context. Sami Jo Difuntorum, executive director of the Siletz Tribal Housing Department, said the state fund offers more options than federal money.
"The framework didn’t really acknowledge or fit how we’re developing housing, how we operate housing in our respective areas," Difuntorum said.
She said tribes can use the state money for everything from homelessness prevention and rental subsidies to new production and homeownership.
For many tribes, housing development is complicated by the need to "buy back land" and build basic utilities in rural areas where water and sewer systems do not exist.
Bell said the government’s role is to believe communities when they name their needs and act accordingly. Looking forward, she hopes the fund builds a foundation of trust and to "serve the people in the way that people need."
Guests
- Andrea Bell, executive director of Oregon Housing and Community Services
- Sami Jo Difuntorum, executive director of the Siletz Tribal Housing Department
