WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Jacky Rosen (D-NV) released the following statement applauding news of a grant totaling $5,000,000 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) awarded to the Shoshone-Paiute Tribes of the Duck Valley Reservation’s Housing Authority to construct 10 new housing units. This grant is allocated by the Indian Housing Block Grant (IHBG) Competitive Grant Program which provides federal funds for affordable housing activities for safe and healthy environments in Tribal communities.
“Particularly during this time of crisis, we must ensure Native communities have the resources to address their health care and infrastructure needs,” said Senator Rosen. “I am pleased that HUD recognizes the importance of affordable housing as part of our nation’s COVID-19 recovery efforts and allocated this grant funding to provide greater housing options to Nevada’s Tribal communities. I will continue to work in the Senate to raise the voices of Tribal communities and ensure they have the support they need to not only recover from COVID-19 but to thrive for generations to come.”
BACKGROUND: Nevada is home to 27 Native American Tribes and communities.
According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness’ State of Homelessness 2020, Native Americans and Pacific Islanders had the highest rates of homelessness when compared with other racial and ethnic groups, with an average of 160 Native American and Pacific Islanders experiencing homelessness out of every 10,000 compared to the national average of 17 out of every 10,000.
Last week, Senator Rosen hosted a virtual roundtable with Nevada’s Tribal leaders to discuss COVID-19 recovery efforts and the recently enacted American Rescue Plan Act of 2021’s relief for Native communities, including the single largest infusion of dedicated resources into Indian Country in American history.
Last month, Senator Rosen voted to pass the American Rescue Plan of 2021, which includes the following $31.2 billion in dedicated funding for Tribal governments and Native communities:
- $20 billion for Tribal governments to combat COVID-19 and stabilize Tribal community safety-net programs;
- $6 billion for the Indian Health Service;
- $900 million for Bureau of Indian Affairs programs;
- Over $1.1 billion for Native education programs, including the Bureau of Indian Education schools, Tribal education agencies, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Native Hawaiian education programs, and Alaska Native education programs;
- $1.248 billion for HUD Tribal & Native Hawaiian housing programs;
- $20 million to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on Native languages.
###
