HOUSING IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMThe Housing Improvement Program (HIP) is funded through the Bureau of Indian Affairs and allows the tribe to rehabilitate the homes of eligible applicants. The tribe receives funds based on the number of eligible applicants the tribe has in a housing inventory. Applications must be updated for this program every year to determine eligibility. Each eligible applicant is rated based on criteria in the federal regulations. The BIA allows the tribe to carry funds over in the HIP program, but all the funds carried over must be used in construction and not administration.
The tribe has more than 100 applications on file for housing assistance. Not all of those files are active, but are maintained due to changes in applicants’ status from year to year. The changes that occur include income, family, and health, each of which is a rating criteria for HIP.
Funding for HIP will also change with the new regulations, which will require the tribe to solicit applications for the program. Funding will be based on how many eligible applications the tribe has each year. The appropriations from Congress will then be divided by a factor which will allow each tribe their funding for that year.
The HIP program has consistently received funding cuts over the past several years. The tribe has explored the options of increasing the funding for housing assistance to the tribal members. With increased revenues from economic development projects, the tribe could establish a program with tribal funds that would allow housing assistance strictly for tribal members. A tribally funded program could adopt criteria different from those of the BIA funded program.
For information on this or other available housing programs, contact the Peoria Housing Authority, 3606 Sencay Ave., Miami, OK 74354, or call (918)-542-1873 or toll free (888)-882-1873.
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