Coalition Conducts Homeownership Tour & Gathering on Pine Ridge

The South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition conducted a tour of Pine Ridge focused on the Sustainable Homeownership Opportunity Project (SHOP) Collaborative working to facilitate the homeownership process on Pine Ridge, as well as the work of individual SHOP partners. Over 55 Coalition members attended the event, starting the day at the Lakota Prairie Ranch in Kyle.   The Coalition first traveled to Pine Ridge to learn about the work of the Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing and the Oglala Sioux (Lakota) Housing Authority, visiting the Fraggle Rock development and the new Housing Authority headquarters. Coalition members then traveled to Sharps Corner in the Porcupine District to visit Thunder Valley CDC, and learn about their sustainable homeownership efforts. From there, the group returned to Kyle, where Coalition members ate lunch and then met with representatives of the BIA, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Credit and Finance Office, and the Tech Team to discuss tribal land issues. The tour concluded with a visit to the Lakota Trade Center, where members met with representatives of the Lakota Federal Credit Union and the Lakota Funds. Coalition members also had the opportunity to meet with two successful homeowners, who had been assisted by the Oglala Sioux Tribe Partnership for Housing and Mazaska Owecaso Otipi Financial.   In addition to the tour/quarterly gathering, the Coalition also addressed Tribally Designated Housing Entity leadership in Rapid City on September 22.