WASHINGTON – June 24, 2016 – (RealEstateRama) — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today an improved Tribal Government-to-Government Consultation Policy and is seeking public comment on a plan to establish a newTribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. Together, these two actions will strengthen the framework of HUD’s relations with tribes.
The tribal consultation policy enhances communication and coordination between HUD and federally recognized Indian tribes, and outlines guiding principles and procedures under HUD’s business relationship with American Indian and Alaska Native tribes. The policy was revised after regional consultations with tribes and a national comment period to discuss and inform the policy.
The purpose of the Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee is to help facilitate intergovernmental communication between HUD and tribal leaders on all HUD programs, make recommendations to HUD regarding current program regulations that may require revision, advise in the development of HUD’s American Indian and Alaska Native housing priorities, and encourage peer learning and capacity building among tribes and non-tribal entities. HUD is seekingtribal comment on the Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee proposal and notice. There is a 30-day public comment period, ending July 23, 2016.
“We have been working with tribal leaders across the nation to improve affordable housing opportunities for families,” said Lourdes Castro Ramírez, HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Office of Public and Indian Housing. “Today, we take an additional step to enhance our continuing partnership to support tribal self-determination and self-governance.”
HUD administers six programs that are specifically targeted to American Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian individuals and families, and federally recognized tribal governments. This year alone, HUD is investing $718 million in hundreds of tribal communities to support place-based housing programs and a broad range of community development activities.
In 2009, President Obama reaffirmed the government-to-government relationship between the Federal Government and Indian tribal governments in a White House memorandum, and at that time directed all Executive departments and agencies to engage in regular and meaningful consultation and collaboration with tribal officials of federally recognized Indian tribes when developing federal policies that have tribal implications. In response, HUD began reassessing its tribal consultation policy, in effect since 2001.
In 2010, HUD held a series of regional discussions with tribes to discuss HUD’s existing consultation policy and recommended changes to the policy. Each session was hosted by one of the six Office of Native American Programs (ONAP) Area Office Administrators. The collected comments from participants and those received by other means were carefully considered in the development of HUD’s updated policy.
Read HUD’s Revised Tribal Government-to-Government Consultation Policy.
Learn more and offer public comment on the Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee.
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HUD’s mission is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all.
More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet
at www.hud.gov and http://espanol.hud.gov.
You can also connect with HUD on social media and follow Secretary Castro on
Twitter and Facebook or sign up for news alerts on HUD’s Email List.
Elena Gaona
202-708-0685
http://www.hud.gov/news/index.cfm
