HUD AWARDS MORE THAN $15 MILLION TO NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBES TO SUPPORT CORONAVIRUS RECOVERY EFFORTS

Washington - The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today awarded $15 million to Tribes across the Nation as part of HUD’s Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Imminent Threat program, which provides funding to help address problems that pose an imminent threat to public health or safety of Tribal residents. This funding will specifically be used to help Tribes prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19. This initial tranche is the first $15 million of $100 million that will be going to tribes. For a full list of grant recipients, see chart below.

“Today’s grant announcement will help families throughout Indian Country to access essential resources amid the coronavirus outbreak,” said Secretary Carson.

“From helping Tribes build more affordable housing to building a place where families can go to quarantine, this funding will help Native Americans persevere during this unprecedented time,” said R. Hunter Kurtz, Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

These funds, provided through the CARES Act, will be used to support several projects on Tribal lands across the United States, such as:

• The construction of new rental housing to address overcrowding and homelessness;
• The building of transitional housing for quarantined individuals and families that have tested positive for COVID-19;
• The construction of an emergency operation center to help respond to current and future COVID-19 issues; and
• The rehabilitation of an existing hotel for the isolation of Tribal members affected by COVID-19.