SWONAP - Administrator's Message

A Message from the SWONAP Administrator

Aaniin! Greetings to you from the new Administrator for the Southwest Office of Native American Programs (SWONAP). My appointment was effective on May 12, 2008.

My home was in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I am a member of the Sault Ste Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, and I am from the Eagle Clan. My husband and I recently moved from Michigan to this amazing Arizona valley.

For the past 23 years, I have worked for our tribal members at the Sault Tribe Housing Authority, most recently as the Executive Director. In addition to working at the local level, I was involved with the Great Lakes Indian Housing Association as the coordinator for their training program, and as a training and technical assistant consultant for the National American Indian Housing Council. Upon the recommendation of our Tribal Council and the Regional Association, I was selected to participate on the first Negotiated Rule Making Committee in 1997. Transitioning from the U.S. Housing Act of 1937 programs to NAHASDA was exciting, and provided opportunities that we took full advantage of in developing and managing the housing program for our tribe. I trust that with my background in leading the Sault Ste. Marie TDHE, and my technical knowledge of NAHASDA and ICDBG programs, I will be able to contribute to future successes of the tribes in this region, SWONAP and HUD.

There are 179 federally recognized tribes located within SWONAP's jurisdiction, scattered throughout west Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California. It is estimated the Federal funding from HUD is approximately $225 million annually. The Indian Housing Block Grant is a formula driven allocation based on the current, HUD-assisted housing a tribe/TDHE owns or is maintaining, and the overall need of the tribe. A mortgage based loan guarantee housing program, Section 184, is available to Native American families that meet the qualification requirements for a mortgage and whose tribes have enacted certain enabling resolutions. In addition, other HUD programs such as ICDBG, RHED, and Ross are available in Indian Country.

The SWONAP staff are talented, committed professionals with years of experience and are here to assist the tribes in the southwest region to be high performers and successfully implement their plans to provide safe, decent, sanitary and affordable homes.

If you desire further information, please contact us at either our Phoenix, AZ or Albuquerque, NM office.