Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe on their way to Washington, D.C., with the housing unit. Photo from Facebook.

The Trail of Hope for Indian Housing has arrived in Washington, D.C.

The Oglala Sioux Tribe of South Dakota set up a facade of a dilapidated Indian housing unit at a park just steps from the U.S. Capitol. The goal is to raise awareness of housing conditions on reservations across the country.

“The housing conditions I encountered during my visit to the Pine Ridge Reservation were among the worst I have seen in my life,” Sheila Crowley, the president and CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition, said in a statement of support for the effort. “The Trail of Hope is an opportunity for policymakers to learn first-hand the gravity of the housing situation in Indian Country, and a call to address the housing needs of the lowest income people in every part of the United States.”

The house is open to the public from 10am to 6pm today. At noon, Sen. Tim Johnson (D-South Dakota), the chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, and other members of Congress are due to speak about housing issues.

The effort comes as tribes lobby Capitol Hill to reauthorize the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act. The law is due to expire in September.

Members of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in Washington, D.C. Photo from Facebook.

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