New housing construction by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. Photo from Lumbee Housing Department
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will appeal a series of findings issued by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, The Red Springs Citizen reported. HUD believes the tribe misspent about $225,000 in Indian Housing Block Grant funds. But Chairman Paul Brooks said government auditors are taking a very narrow interpretation of what's allowable under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act. “The current administrators in the Chicago office of HUD overseeing the Lumbee Housing Program are utilizing a more narrow interpretation of the NAHASDA regulations than have ever been used during previous administrations or audits performed in the almost 15-year history of the tribe’s housing program,” Brooks said at a press conference, the Citizen reported. According to the paper, the audit determined that the tribe misspent housing funds on veterans programs, elders programs, Boys and Girls Club programs and on the purchase of a mobile home. Just last year, the tribe agreed to a reduction in its IHBG funds in order to repay nearly $416,000 in unallowable expenses. The tribe was giving stipends to council members. Get the Story:
Tribe faces repayment of $225K (The Red Springs Citizen 5/28)
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