Workshop Attracts Over 100 Attendees in Effort to Increase Housing Stock on Indian Reservations
Workshop Attracts Over 100 Attendees in Effort to Increase Housing Stock on Indian Reservations
According to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), about 16 percent of households on Indian reservations are overcrowded, and an additional 68,000 housing units are needed to alleviate this burden. Housing in Indian Country is a complex and costly problem, but the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition is making strides in reversing long-standing issues in our state.
“The Coalition is literally taking a ground-up approach to solving the housing crisis that South Dakota’s reservation communities have been enduring for too long. We’ve taken a proactive approach to eliminate barriers to homeownership. Ultimately, it is about increasing the number of homes so that people have safe and affordable places to live,” says Elias Mendoza, Program Director for the Coalition.
As part of these efforts, the Coalition hosts an annual Contractor’s Workshop designed to build the capacity of construction firms that are working or want to work in Native communities. This year’s workshop attracted 109 attendees from four different states (South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, and Nebraska) who learned about safety, bonding, financing, and best business practices. They also discussed the possibility of starting a Native American chapter of the International Code Council and had the opportunity to pitch their businesses to various federal, state, and tribal agencies.
“This has become an annual event that building contractors working in reservation communities have come to look forward to. Our hope is that they walk away with tools that will contribute to their success,” says Ellen White Thunder, Deputy Director of Lakota Funds, who played a key role in organizing this year’s event.
The Coalition’s holistic approach to increasing housing stock in reservation communities, which has been underway for nearly six years, also includes a construction internship program, an inspector certification program, and an effort to increase the number of appraisers serving Native communities.
Getting to Know Four Bands
Four Bands Community Fund
Four Bands Community Fund, a Kola Member of the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition, is located in Eagle Butte on the Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation.
A Growing Organization
When Four Bands first began their work as a Native community development financial institution (CDFI) in 2000, less than 1% of businesses on the Cheyenne River Reservation were Native American-owned. To date, they have deployed over $20 million in business loans, resulting in the start-up or expansion of hundreds of new businesses and the creation or retention of over 1,000 jobs. While still deeply committed to private sector business development at home on the Reservation, Four Bands expanded its geographic service area to include the entire state of South Dakota about 10 years ago. The organization has also greatly expanded its suite of programs to meet community needs – one of the most pressing being housing.
In 2018, Four Bands piloted a mortgage product, deploying one loan valuing $7,600. By the time of the official launch in 2019, they had already built a pipeline of mortgage borrowers through a partnership with Cheyenne River Housing Authority, in which they had helped deliver homeownership training to hundreds of families. Within three years they deployed a total of 44 mortgage loans valuing nearly $4 million. Four Bands dedicates an average of 25 hours of customized technical assistance and coaching to help each client become mortgage-ready and guides them step-by-step through the entire process, from pre-application to post-loan servicing. At any given time, they are working with about 30 clients in varying stages of their homeownership journeys.
An Advocate for Access to Capital
After Four Bands launched their homeownership program, they quickly experienced a demand that outpaced available capital for home financing. As an active member in the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition, Four Bands joined the advocacy efforts to increase access to mortgage capital. They became a key partner in the USDA Rural Development 502 Direct CDFI Relending Pilot where they deployed $1 million in 502 Direct Loans. In late 2022, USDA announced an expansion of the pilot that will enable Four Bands to deploy an additional $3 million. They are continuing advocacy efforts with the Coalition to make the pilot permanent.
Four Bands has two staff members that assist clients with 502 Direct Loans as well as their other mortgage products, April Anderson and Tori Chasing Hawk.
April explains, “The [502 Direct CDFI Relending] Pilot helps us get the right capital into the right project. It’s a huge benefit by helping housing stay affordable, which means we are able to service more clients.”
Both April and Tori come from a banking background and enjoy the client-centered, flexible approach at Four Bands. They let the client take the lead, but if they need help, April and Tori help them problem solve.
“They don’t have to fit into a box,” says Tori, who helps clients with anything from savings and credit to insurance and property taxes.
“It’s really nice. We get to be on the journey with our clients. We ride it with them no matter how they need our support, watching them grow and learn,” says April.
They say the best part is when homeowners share their story and inspire the next group of people to start their journey.
Let's welcome our newest team member!
Welcome Cheryce Not Afraid!
Please join us in welcoming the newest member of our growing team, Cheryce Not Afraid (Oglala Sioux)! Cheryce came on board this month as our new Operations Manager, and will be supporting the Coalition as we transition to an independent 501c(3) by helping to establish policies and procedures as well as key financial functions within the organization.
“It will be exciting to see what we will accomplish. There are so many things being worked on, and one thing connects to the next,” she says.
Prior to her position as Operations Manager, Cheryce worked for Oglala Lakota College and the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She brings over a decade in financial and grants management to the Coalition. Cheryce holds several degrees, including an Associate’s Degree in Entrepreneurship, a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, and a Master’s Degree in Indigenous People’s Law. Cheryce, her husband, and four children enjoy participating in and watching sports and traveling to powwows. With such a busy schedule, she says her favorite times are those spent at home.
“I love just being at home – having that stability. In this position, I get to help people have that feeling as well,” Cheryce states.