Politics
Special Interests: Lobbying for Indian housing


"Faced with the misconception that every tribe is casino-rich, 300 Native Americans went to Capitol Hill yesterday and today to lobby lawmakers to help turn around deplorable housing conditions in Indian Country.

Besides concerns that inflation and tight budgets were reducing the funds available for housing, tribal leaders were particularly upset that President Bush's budget zeroes out funds for the National American Indian Housing Council, which provides training, technical assistance and communications programs for tribal housing authorities. The administration tried to kill the $4.6 million program for fiscal 2006, but Congress restored $2 million.

Chester Carl , chairman of NAIHC and executive director of the Navajo Housing Authority, and tribal housing leaders yesterday talked about overcrowded living conditions, substandard housing, lack of adequate heating and clean water, and isolated conditions.

"NAIHC is the driver of progress in housing throughout Indian Country, helping build the capacity of tribes, which produced more than 6,000 housing units for their people last fiscal year," Carl said at a news conference."

Get the Story:
Special Interests by Judy Sarasohn: Lobbying Against Cliche of Casino-Rich Tribes (The Washington Post 3/2)
pwpwd

Relevant Links:
Office of Public and Indian Housing, HUD - http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih
National American Indian Housing Council - http://naihc.net

Related Stories:
Program to help urban Indians become homeowners (02/27)
Upcoming Senate Indian Affairs Committee hearings (09/12)
Former HUD official Liu drops lobbying effort (09/01)
HUD expands home loan program in Oregon (08/08)
Aloha! Michael Liu leaving HUD for private sector (05/05)
Senators question Bush administration's budget cuts (02/17)
Native veterans question Bush administration budget (02/17)
Official cites 'tight' budget for Indian housing (2/9)
Indian housing funds see no major increase (11/24)
Congress restores Bush's cuts to Indian programs (11/22)
Bush says housing program he's cutting is 'working' (08/12)
Tribes challenge policy affecting federal housing funds (05/04)
Indian housing funds face cuts in Bush budget (04/14)
Tribes tackle budget woes under Bush administration (4/13)
Housing campaign seeks to build 100,000 homes (02/27)
Senate panel shares criticism of Bush budget (02/12)
Tribal leaders pressing Congress on funding (02/11)
Native American Bank offers new mortgage program (01/21)
Indians fight discrimination when renting homes (11/21)
Indian housing funds face more scrutiny (3/4)
Bush budget restricts spending on Indian Country (02/10)
Senate clears new funds for Indian programs (01/24)
Housing scarce for thousands of Indian families (01/22)
Indian housing bill signed into law (11/15)
A busy year for Congress on Indian affairs (10/22)
Senate renews Indian housing law (10/8)
Court rules tribes immune from discrimination law (8/14)
Bush names Liu to Indian housing post (6/22)
Native Corp. to appeal housing denial (6/4)
Alaska Native housing plan rejected (5/29)
Audit: Alaska Native dorm improperly approved (4/17)
HUD Budget: No big benefit for Indian Country (4/12)
Martinez to clean HUD house (2/21)