Housing
The firm has considerable experience in the area of Indian housing. After Congress amended the laws governing federally-assisted Indian housing programs by enacting the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA) in 1996, members of our firm actively participated in the negotiated rulemaking between the Department of Housing and Urban Development, tribes and Indian Housing Authorities which successfully drafted final regulations to implement that Act. Since that time, we have assisted Indian tribal governments in taking advantage of the flexibility created by NAHASDA to assume all or some of the housing responsibilities previously performed by the tribe's Indian Housing Authorities. Our work has included assisting tribes to: develop Indian housing plans; negotiate cooperation agreements with local municipalities on housing-related issues; update tribal housing codes; meet environmental compliance requirements mandated by NAHASDA and applicable regulations; work with the Department of Housing and Urban Development on compliance issues under NAHASDA; establish the service area where affordable housing activities under NAHASDA may be provided by the tribe; review mortgage and related loan documents associated with the federal loan guarantee programs; and assist tribes in drafting and implementing tribal housing assistance and mortgage loan programs.