By Clara NiiSka

Information about Red Lake, Shakopee, Prairie Island and Lower Sioux reservations was not included in the original housing information provided to Press/ON by HUD.  Press/ON requested the information, and the next day HUD’s Chicago regional office faxed the following:

Red Lake Reservation received a total of $10,331,937 from the Department of Housing and Urban Development during fiscal years 1998-2000.  Most of these funds were Indian Housing block grants: $2,978,900 in FY 1998, $3,058,052 in FY 1999, and $3,056,485 in FY 2000.  Red Lake was also granted $238,500 from HUD’s Drug Elimination program in FY 1998.

According to HUD, the Shakopee Sioux Tribe “does not participate in the program and has not received funding from HUD in over 15 years.”

“The Prairie Island Sioux detached itself from the Minnesota Dakota umbrella housing authority in FY 1999.”  Prairie Island was awarded Indian Housing Block Grants of $145,402 in FY 1999 and $140,157 in FY 2000.

“The Lower Sioux Tribe remained under the umbrella housing authority and received $214,535 in FY 1998 and $221,965 in FY 1999.  The tribe, through the umbrella IHA, did not submit an application in FY 2000.”

In addition to HUD and other federal housing funding, the tribal council is exploring the possibility of bringing surplus military houses from downsized military bases to Red Lake in a joint military-civilian project, Operation Walking Shield.  According to the March 30 edition of the tribal council newsletter, Philip J. Stevens, chairman and chief executive officer of the Walking Shield American Indian Society recently met with the tribal council to discuss the project.

Stevens explained that it was his “understanding” that Red Lake reservation has “a need for 400 houses,” and that Operation Walking Shield could provide 115 houses, as well as deploying military doctors and dentists to “improve the health conditions on the reservation.”  The military’s surplus houses would be brought to the reservation and roads built as a part of a military training mission.  According to Stevens, all of the houses which Operation Walking Shield has brought to Indian reservations have been “fully subsidized by a combination of tax credits from the State of Minnesota and Federal Home Loan Grant programs.”