Why it matters:

The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs held a hearing Sept. 16 on Native housing needs and reauthorization of the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHASDA).

The big picture:

The hearing examined the broader condition of tribal housing and marked NAHASDA's 30th anniversary.

Chair Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) said the hearing had been postponed from July because of a family emergency. She said the delay gave the committee more time to hear from tribal housing leaders and incorporate some recommendations into the bill.

Murkowski said some households earn too much to qualify under current limits but still cannot afford homes in their communities. She also described housing challenges involving geographic isolation, erosion, land subsidence and severe weather.

Affordable housing availability in Native American communities is declining, while available units are becoming more expensive. The supplied record says 24.5 Percent of Native American renters spend more than half their income on rent.

What they're saying:

The hearing featured Bryan Warner of the Cherokee Nation, Hilary Atkin of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Alicia Puente Cackley of the Government Accountability Office.

Warner, the Cherokee Nation's deputy principal chief, testified on behalf of more than 477,000 Cherokee Nation citizens and the National Congress of American Indians. He said NAHASDA gives tribes flexibility to build homes, expand homeownership, rehabilitate housing, support veterans and elders, and strengthen communities according to tribal priorities.

Warner said S. 5354 would streamline environmental reviews, reduce administrative burdens, strengthen Section 184 homeownership opportunities, permanently authorize tribal HUD-VASH for Native veterans, and give tribes more flexibility on local housing needs.

Since 2019, the Cherokee Nation has constructed more than 500 homes and completed more than 3,500 housing rehabilitations. Warner said those investments drew on tribal-business and health-care third-party revenue rather than federal funds.

Atkin appeared as HUD's acting deputy assistant secretary for Native American Programs. Cackley was identified as director of the Government Accountability Office's Financial Markets and Community Investment unit.

Political stakes:

Murkowski introduced S. 5354 with the committee's vice chairman, Brian Schatz. Schatz could not attend in person but submitted an opening statement for the record.

Warner said NAHASDA was last reauthorized in 2008. He urged Congress to enact the modernization bill before the end of 2026.

What's next:

Murkowski said she intended to continue working with HUD, committee members and housing leaders on NAHASDA.

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