HUD AWARDS $11 MILLION IN GRANTS TO OKLAHOMA NATIVE AMERICAN COMMUNITIES TO PROMOTE AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Ada, Binger, Durant, Seneca, Kaw City, Okmulgee, Miami Pawnee, Quapaw, Wewoka, Grove, Tahlequah, and Wyandotte area tribes receive funding for critical projects

OKLAHOMA CITY - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development today awarded $11,139,275 to fourteen tribal communities in Oklahoma to improve housing conditions, promote community development and to spur local economies with construction projects and jobs. The competitive grants awarded are part of HUD's Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Program that address a wide variety of community development and affordable housing activities for low to moderate-income families (see grant chart and summaries below).

"These grants are a step forward in forging solutions to improve the housing and economic conditions for some of our country's most culturally rich neighborhoods," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "I'm impressed at the energy and creativity in how these communities are leveraging public funds to create lasting solutions for countless families."

"ICDBG is an important program, providing tribal communities needed funding for infrastructure, housing, and job creation," said C. Donald Babers, HUD Regional Administrator. "Tribal Grantees had to compete for the funding and their enthusiasm, ideas and efforts are vital and will make a difference in their communities."

The funding to Oklahoma awarded today is part of $56 million HUD announced today to tribal communities throughout the nation. The recipients will use these grants to develop viable communities including rehabilitating housing or building new homes or to purchase land to support new housing construction. The funding can also used to build infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer facilities. To stimulate economic development and job growth, recipients use the grants to establish commercial, industrial and agricultural projects. Recipients also use the funding to build community and health centers, or to start businesses to support the community including shopping centers, manufacturing plants, restaurants or convenience stores and gas stations. Specific examples of this sort of economic and community development include:

Oklahoma Grant Summaries

CADDO TRIBE (OK)

The Caddo Nation will use its $800,000 grant to build a community facility that will be located on the Regency Oak elderly affordable rental property in Anadarko, OK. The Regency Oak was purchased using NAHASDA formula and American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds. The facility will provide a needed gathering place for the elderly low income residents. It will provide a common dining/meeting area, office space, and recreational areas including Internet access, a television lounge, and an outdoor picnic pavilion. The building will also be equipped with a safe room.

CHICKASAW NATION (OK)

The $800,000 grant will be used for the Chickasaw Nation Ardmore Community Center. Ardmore is the largest city in Carter County and the 16th largest in Oklahoma. The renovation of the gymnasium into an accessible and affordable community center will be given top priority to meet the community development needs of citizens.

CHOCTAW NATION (OK)

The Nation will use its $800,000 grant to fund the Pocola Sanitary Sewer System Improvements Project. The project will rehabilitate the sanitary sewer collection system for the town and surrounding areas of Pocola - parts of which have deteriorated and even collapsed over the years. The improvement and replacement of key elements of the sewer system is essential for the safe and successful transportation of wastewater to the treatment facility. The overall scope of the project will be to eliminate overflows and bypasses in the collection system.

EASTERN SHAWNEE TRIBE (OK)

The Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma will use its $800,000 grant to construct a 6,750 square foot Elder Independent Living Community Center building with a 3,000 square foot covered outdoor community space. This project will house the elders who apply for services and meet the age and income guidelines established by the Tribe. The Tribe will also construct roads and infrastructure necessary to access the area.

KAW NATION (OK)

The Kaw Nation will use its $800,000 grant to build a Kanza Travel Expansion and Improvement Project. It will expand the current travel plaza by 2,100 square feet. The expansion will allow diesel trucks to use the new facility to obtain diesel which will increase the Kaw Nation's revenue. Three new employees will be hired to operate the travel plaza. The plaza is located in Braman, Oklahoma.

MUSCOGEE (CREEK) NATION (OK)

The Muskogee Nation will use its $800,000 grant for the Student Auxiliary Services Building. The purposes of the building are to provide healthy activities on campus for the students and address the health needs of the students while they are attending college. The building will provide a fitness area which includes weight rooms, cardio machines, climbing walls, and a separate room for fitness classes. The College of the Muscogee Nation is about the health and well being of the college students, and providing student services on campus.

OTTAWA TRIBE (OK)

The Ottawa Tribe will use its grant of $800,000 to build a travel plaza at the intersection of two major highways in north eastern Oklahoma. This travel plaza will have a 4,000 square foot convenience store and 8 canopied passenger fueling islands, a semi-truck fueling island, parking area with outside picnic area. The project will create 17 full-time jobs.

PAWNEE NATION (OK)

The Nation will use its $800,000 grant for the design and construction of the Pawnee Tribal Elder Center. This new facility will house the Elderly Meals Program which provides at least one nutritional meal a day to the participants, it will also house the Caregiver's Program that assists the elderly participants with day-to-day assistance in order to provide the participants with an enhanced quality of life. Another program that would be housed in this facility would be the tribally assisted program for financial assistance on utilities, selected medical assistance and emergency assistance. Other on-going activities that would be held in this facility would be educational presentations on items such as nutrition and information that will enhance the quality of life for this select population of the Pawnee tribal community.

QUAPAW TRIBE (OK)

The Quapaw Tribe will use its $800,000 grant to construct a joint wellness center and community safe room. This will enable the tribe to meet an essential community development need by providing residents the opportunity to increase their physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social and environmental health in a safe, comfortable atmosphere. All while providing the community with a much needed safe room to not only save lives in case of an emergency situation, but to create a sense of peace and well being in the community.

SEMINOLE NATION OF OKLAHOMA (OK)

The Seminole Nation was awarded $800,000 to build a Multi Purpose Community Health and Wellness Center. This is the first ICDBG that the Seminole Nation has received. The facility will be a 4,500 square foot facility constructed on land owned by the Seminole Nation. It will be located at the Mekusukey Mission, Seminole County Oklahoma.

SENECA-CAYUGA TRIBE (OK)

The tribe will use its grant of $800,000 for the construction of a Family Services Center which will provide for all family services fostering cost savings associated with the deliverance of services, better privacy for clients. The center will provide adequate protected offices sized to meet the program needs, a conference room, a child observation room and the added safety provided by a safe room within the building to protect against adverse weather.

SHAWNEE TRIBE (OK)

The grant of $739,275 will be used to continue the rehabilitation/construction of the Shawnee Tribe Social Service and Resource Center. This Center will fulfill an essential community development need by providing a facility for both the delivery of social services and the conduct of community activities. Such development is currently prevented by the lack of space available for more effective social services program delivery and the management and conduct of community.

UNITED KEETOOWAH BAND OF CHEROKEE INDIANS (OK)

This grant of $800,000 will be used for a Museum/Cultural Center Expansion. The project will further the tribe's goal of sharing and preserving its rich Native American history and culture with others. Services provided by the Multi-Purpose Museum & Cultural Center will include community education opportunities, on-line classes, and other cultural and educational activities relating to the Tribe's history and its culture. In addition, a number of jobs are anticipated to be created and retained as a result of this project.

WYANDOTTE NATION (OK)

The Wyandotte Nation will use $800,000.00 to build a Housing Services Center to support NAHASDA housing activities. The facility will provide an all-weather space for community and social gatherings. The facility will house equipment, activities and programs that will assist in developing a healthy, safe lifestyle. The project will be constructed so that it will incorporate a safe room and a place for the resident of the community to gather and hold meeting and other activities. It will also have a generator for safe access during electrical outages.

The ICDBG program was established in 1977 to help Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to meet their community development needs. Federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, groups or nations or eligible tribal organizations compete for this funding.

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HUD's mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD is working to strengthen the housing market to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes: utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination; and transform the way HUD does business. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov. You can also follow HUD on Twitter at @HUDnews or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/HUD. or sign up for news alerts on HUD's News Listserv.

FY 2012 National Indian Community Development Block Grant Awards