This article discusses the challenges and possible solutions of providing affordable housing to indigenous peoples, particularly in cities, who experience houselessness at a much higher rate than other demographics.

ARTICLE SOURCE:

Vasudevan, R. (2024, February 27). Can affordable housing for Indigenous communities work?. High Country News. https://www.hcn.org/issues/56-3/can-affordable-housing-for-indigenous-communities-work/

SUMMARY:

In the United States, indigenous peoples are overrepresented in the homeless population, particularly in Western cities. This was particularly exacerbated by the Indian Relocation Act of 1956 where indigenous people were relocated to urban areas without any support from the government. Around the United States, many tribes and tribal groups have tried to open indigenous-focused affordable housing with little success, due to federal funding laws that prohibit racial prioritization. The article also explores the issues with applying to public housing for Indigenous people, as many were never given the proper paperwork, due to being born on the rez, have problems with access to the technology required, or experience flat-out racial discrimination. There has been some success with strategies like community preference policies that prioritize people from specific areas, or tribal allocations of housing funds which allow for racial preference. Despite the challenges, the article highlights efforts to create equitable and culturally appropriate housing for a people who have faced displacement time and time again.

DESCRIPTIVE POINTS:

• The cities

  • The article focuses on the cities of Dever, Seattle, and Portland, urban areas with significant indigenous populations facing housing challenges.

• Stakeholders

  • The primary stakeholders are indigenous people who are disproportionately affected by homelessness as well as the non-profit organizations and housing providers serving these communities.

• Planning issues

  • Affordable housing development

  • social services and culturally appropriate housing

  • systemic barriers to housing and historical displacement

• Relevant debates

  • How to prioritize housing for Indigenous people without violating housing laws that prohibit racial preferences

    • Side 1

      • Could be used to further discriminate against Indigenous people and other people of color

    • Side 2

      • Helps address historical injustices and equity

• Changes to policy

  • Spatial

    • A shift from housing being primarily on rez to off-rez urban areas

    • The importance of creating housing in areas where Indigenous people have community ties

  • Economic

    • Creation of affordable housing that addresses economic disparities that contribute to Indigenous homelessness

    • Use of federal funding to support off-rez housing projects

    • Exorbitant application fees and discriminatory income practices

  • Social

    • Community and social support IE addiction services

• The current status of the planning policy or project

  • Denver is breaking ground on its first indigenous affordable housing project with 190 units, half for the homeless and half for families below the poverty line. As well as including medical and dental clinics.

  • In Seattle, the Chief Seattle Club’s building is occupied by 93% Indigenous residents due to community preference policies

  • Safe outdoor spaces as a temporary solution

REACTION

I wasn't aware that Indigenous homelessness was as large of a problem as it is. I came in knowing I wanted to do something related to indigenous people or reservations, but I discovered this topic and was able to learn so much more. This specific planning topic is interesting because I never thought about how these conservative Supreme Court rulings affect policy in all different mediums and not just where the ruling is. For example, they couldn't provide housing just for the indigenous homeless bc of the affirmative action ruling. This problem affects me as someone who is native and part of a tribe that was only federally recognized in 2019. We fought a court case for nearly 100 years to be federally recognized and only recently received a grant to buy land. I can't imagine how many tribe members are homeless due to the gov't leaving us out to dry for so long.

This article focuses on a new housing project in Seattle called ?al?al, designed to address the overrepresentation of Indigenous people in Seattle's homeless population. It also discusses historical trauma, systemic barriers, and the need for culturally competent services to help the Indigenous community.

ARTICLE SOURCE

Golden, H. (2020, December 17). A bold Fix for Native American homelessness. Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-12-17/a-bold-fix-for-native-american-homelessness

SUMMARY

With the disproportionately high rates of homelessness among Native Americans in urban areas, The Chief Seattle Club aims to fix it with a new housing project in Seattle called ?al?al. Overall, 15% of homeless, 27% of unsheltered (people living outside or in vehicles), and 32% of chronically homeless are American Indian/Alaskan Native. The ?al?al project hopes to provide culturally relevant housing and services to the native community. Indigenous issues are a sensitive topic in the first place, given the historical traumas involved, which means special precautions need to be taken. The project includes traditional art, a native cafe, as well as healthcare and vocational rehabilitation, to create a welcoming environment for Indigenous peoples in need of help.

DESCRIPTIVE POINTS

• Information about the city

  • The article focuses on Seattle but references Portland and Phoenix about disproportionate homelessness rates among Native Americans.

• Stakeholders

  • The primary stakeholders are Indigenous people who are experiencing homelessness in Seattle. Other stakeholders are the Chief Seattle Club, as well as the Seattle Indian Health Board, and the Coast Salish tribes in King County.

• Planning issues

  • Disproportionate rate of homelessness among Indigenous peoples

  • Lack of outreach that fits the community's history and needs

  • Urban adjustment

• Relevant debates

  • How to address systemic issues and historical injustices that have led to disproportionate rates of homelessness amongst Indigenous people.

• Changes to policy

  • Spatial

    • ?al?al in Pioneer Square, Seattle's earliest white settlement, challenges the historical exclusion of native people in Seattle.

  • Social

    • Native art, a native cafe, and social services foster a community and belonging for Indigenous people.

  • Economic

    • Provides affordable housing for unhoused and low-income families.

• The current status of the planning policy or project

  • Provides health care and social services for over 2700 annually and houses 93% indigenous people.

REACTION

In this article, I learned about the numerous barriers to affordable housing people face. I had previously done a project about voter ID laws on reservations and it's a lot of the same issues, but you never hear about indigenous people in urban areas. You would think a system to give housing to homeless and povertized people wouldn't require a $900 cell phone or computer. This planning topic opened my eyes to a lot of systemic issues that plague our system not just for indigenous people, but all of those who need our help most. This topic showed me the importance of understanding historical context and system issues when planners attack these issues. Native Americans and really every group have a unique situation that needs unique solutions.

This article discusses how the “Indian Relocation” programs of the 60s failed and how the government continues to fail Native Americans in urban housing.  The article further explores this topic through the lens of Little Earth in Minneapolis, the first and only Native-preference public housing complex in the United States.

SOURCE

Keeler, K. R. (2023, June 23). Creating America’s first native public housing complex. Next City. https://nextcity.org/urbanist-news/creating-americas-first-native-public-housing-complex

SUMMARY

Little Earth, a native-preference public housing complex in Minneapolis, was created in response to a growing urban Indigenous population, due to the federal relocation program. This program encouraged native people to move to cities with a promise of federal assistance which rarely came. Little Earth has faced limitations in accessing funding because of its designation as a public housing complex rather than a tribal entity, which restricts access to federal funds meant for tribal nations. This leads to a long waitlist, showcasing the high demand for affordable housing and more resources for American Indian families in the Twin Cities. Still, Little Earth is an extremely important part of the American Indian Cultural Corridor, providing education, elder care, health services, and cultural activities.

DESCRIPTIVE POINTS

• Information about the city

  • The article focuses on Minneapolis, Minnesota, as the location of Little Earth. In 1960, the Indigenous population in Minneapolis almost doubled due to the federal Indigenous relocation program.

• Stakeholders

  • The primary stakeholders are the Indigenous community in Minneapolis as well as the American Indian Movement (AIM) which manages the complex.

• Planning Issues

  • Growing urban native populations with unique cultural and housing needs

  • Federal funding disconnect

  • Bureaucratic barriers

  • Relocation programs without adequate support

• Relevant Debates

  • The federal government's treaty obligations to tribal people

    • Side 1

      • The federal gov't has a trust responsibility to Native American tribes, which includes housing and cultural programs.

      • Full housing support is a step toward correcting historical injustices

    • Side 2

      • Little Earth is a public housing complex, not tribal land

      • No explicit legal basis in treaties for urban housing projects

      • Creates inequities in the public housing system by prioritizing one group over another

  • Little Earth's designation as a public housing complex vs tribal entity

    • Side 1

      • Remaining a public housing complex gives broader access to federal and state funding as well as legal protections and infrastructure support.

    • Side 2

      • Being designated a tribal entity recognizes native sovereignty and governance over management. It also allows access to tribal-specific housing funds, as well as preserving cultural and community ties.

• Changes to policy

  • Spatial

    • Located in the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis with close access to the american indian cultural corridor

  • Social

    • provides culturally relevant programs and social services tailored to native american residents

  • Economic

    • The complex was initially funded by an FHA mortgage with supplemental funds from the Model Cities program and local programs. However, there was a shift in policy towards native programs to be based on need rather than gov’t treaty obligations.

• Current Status

  • Houses 1,000 residents, with 98% American Indian and more than 30 tribal nations represented. The program currently has a waitlist of nearly 500 family units

REACTION

This article provided more depth on the historical context of native Americans in urban areas, and how the federal gov't continues to fail them. As a native-preference housing program, they were classified as a public housing complex meaning they are not entitled to tribal funds, even though everything they do is tribal-based. It was hard for me to wrap my head around that. The story of Little Rock showed how hard it is to create housing that is culturally sensitive but also financially viable. This article allowed me to understand urban housing policy and how it can be used to address systemic inequalities. We need more culturally competent and community-led solutions, especially for native communities, that promote autonomy and address every group's unique needs.