Department of Housing and Urban Development hosts tribal consultation

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Thursday, February 25, 2021

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The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is updating its tribal consultation policy in accordance with a new directive from President Joe Biden.

On January 26, Biden signed a memorandum on tribal consultation and strengthening nation-to-nation relationships. He ordered all federal agencies to improve their plans on working with Indian Country.

“I promise you I’m committed to writing a new and better chapter in the history of our nation-to-nation relationship,” Biden said in a video message to the National Congress of American Indians on Tuesday.

“Respect for tribal sovereignty will be the cornerstone of our engagement with you,” Biden told NCAI’s executive winter council session.

Indianz.Com Video: Tribal consultation and strengthening nation-to-nation relationships

HUD will be holding two consultations to update its policy. The first session takes place from 1pm to 3pm Eastern on Thursday afternoon:

Conference Line: 888-251-2949 or 215-861-0694
Access Code: 4755419#

Visual materials will be available at ems8.intellor.com/login/836860 during the session.

A second session is also being scheduled, according to a February 3 letter from Heidi J. Frechette, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Office of Native American Programs at HUD. Further information will be posted on CodeTalk, the agency’s Indian housing portal.

“This is an excellent opportunity to provide feedback and constructive thoughts on how HUD can engage in regular, meaningful, and robust tribal consultation,” Frechette wrote in the Dear Tribal Leader letter.

Written comments can also be submitted by April 5 to tribalconsultationpolicy@hud.gov.

To build back better, we first need to create a base – to build a foundation for those struggling with housing.

That means ensuring people keep their homes during a pandemic, and keeping people off the streets. Then we can start enacting programs that make life better. pic.twitter.com/LFWVmP15KF
— Marcia L. Fudge (@mlfudge) December 22, 2020

Rep. Marcia Fudge (D-Ohio) has been nominated to serve as Secretary for Housing and Urban Development in Biden’s administration. Her confirmation hearing took place on February 28.

“Native housing is also in a crisis, with far too many families living in substandard and crowded housing conditions on reservations,” Fudge told members of the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

The committee advanced Fudge’s nomination by a vote of 17-7 on February 4. A final confirmation vote in the U.S. Senate has not taken place.

Biden has not yet announced his pick for Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing, the political official who oversees Indian housing at HUD.

Dear Tribal Leader Letter