TOWAOC – Ute Mountain Ute officials recently broke ground to build 10 housing units for the homeless.
Located near the rodeo grounds on Ute Trail Road, the housing units are part of a long-term plan for up to 200 new homes for tribal members. It’s the tribe’s first housing project in eight years, said Ute Housing Authority development director Benny Cordova.
“We have over 100 people on a waiting list for housing,” he said.
Tribal officials are working to complete the first phase of the project, which includes roads, water, sewer and power for the units. Phase I includes space for mental health and counseling services.
“We have a real priority need for homeless people,” said Ute Mountain Ute Chairman Manuel Heart. “We’re trying to address that right off the bat.”
The 200 units are expected to be completed in 2030, Heart said.
A $900,000 U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development grant awarded in February and a $300,000 match from the tribe is funding infrastructure for Phase I.
“We hope to have the infrastructure completed in the next three to four months, depending on the weather,” Cordova said.
Officials hope to receive a second federal grant to complete Phase I construction.
The HUD funding was part of a $651 million round of grants awarded to 586 tribes in 34 states through Indian Housing Block Grant allocations. The amount of each grant was based on a formula that considers local needs and housing units under management by the tribe or designated entity.
“Our nation is at its best when everyone has a fair chance to thrive,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro when the grants were announced.
HUD’s proposed fiscal year 2016 budget seeks $748 million to address critical housing and community development needs in Native American communities, including $660 million for IHBG allocations.