The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, anchored in Dowagiac, will get a share of the $200-million in pandemic relief funding made available by the U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development for Native American communities nationwide.
HUD Secretary Ben Carson recently announced $200 million in Indian Housing Block Grants (IHBG) to American Indian Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHEs) across the country to respond to COVID-19. That funding will be used to help Tribes and TDHEs carry out affordable housing activities to protect the safety and health of their tribal members and communities.
The 12 federally recognized Native American tribes across Michigan will get a collective $4.5-million piece of that national pie. The Pokagon Band is designated to receive $652,952.
HUD Secretary Carson says, “When President Trump signed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) into law, he wanted to ensure that American Indian Tribes received the assistance they needed to combat the coronavirus,” and adds, “HUD remains committed to providing Tribes with the tools they need during this national emergency to continue to create safe, affordable housing opportunities for their communities.”
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing R. Hunter Kurtz adds, “Working to make sure American Indian families get the resources they need during such an unprecedented time was important to President Trump. Today’s funding helps HUD’s mission to continue to assist some of our most vulnerable customers.”
Indian Housing Block Grants primarily benefit low-income American Indian families. The amount of each grant is based on a formula that considers local needs and housing units under management by the Tribe or TDHE. Eligible activities for the funds include housing development, operation and maintenance, modernization of existing housing, housing services to eligible families and individuals, housing management services, crime prevention and safety activities, and model activities that provide creative approaches to solving affordable housing problems in Indian Country.
In addition to that much needed funding, HUD also announced that it began allocating $3.064 billion to help America’s low-income families and cutting the red tape so grantees can quickly help their communities.
Here are the 12 Michigan Tribes and the amount granted by HUD:
- Michigan Bay Mills Indian Community of Brimley $240,727
- Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Peshawbestown $389,890
- Hannahville Indian Community of Wilson $61,249
- Keweenaw Bay Indian Community of Baraga $595,908
- Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Watersmeet $81,018
- Little River Band of Ottawa Indians of Manistee $91,607
- Little Traverse Bay Band of Odawa Indians of Harbor Springs $190,191
- Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians of Dorr $58,700
- Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi of Fulton $130,894
- Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians of Dowagiac $652,952
- Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe of Mt. Pleasant $484,754
- Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians of Sault Ste. Marie $1,556,488
