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- By Chez Oxendine
- Real Estate
Soto plans to leverage all of that experience — and a passion for making sure people are housed — into his new job as NAIHC's executive director. Soto started in the new post on March 3, taking over for interim director Linda Lee Retka. He inherits both a wealth of challenges and opportunities in Native housing and looks forward to tackling all of them, he says.
“What brought me to the council is my passion for Indian Country and improving the lives of fellow Native Americans,” Soto said.
Soto spoke with Tribal Business News to discuss the organization’s next steps, their policy priorities, and the issues facing Native Americans hoping to own a home. This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
What are the biggest challenges for Native American housing?
The top issue and challenge is the historic lack of funding and investment. We also have overcrowding in tribal communities and housing, and these are all issues I'm familiar with through lived experience. There are challenges with checkerboard reservations and navigating the permitting processes to build projects and provide for construction in a cost-effective manner. Dilapidated, substandard housing stock and conditions are also major challenges.
What about legislative challenges?
Those are multifaceted. You have the legislative challenge of having Congress authorize the program that is our bedrock and foundation, the Native American Housing and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA), and appropriately funding that legislation.
You also have regulatory challenges, like the current challenge we're encountering in Indian Country, the Buy America, Build America requirements for tribal housing projects.
Why is reauthorizing NAHASDA important?
NAHASDA expired in 2013, and reauthorizing it is crucial for the stability of the program. We understand that some unauthorized programs are potentially at risk for funding cuts at the agency level. To avoid funding rescissions and stoppages, it's of the utmost importance to get that bill reauthorized.
So where does that currently stand?
Right now, we're in a new Congress, so we need the reintroduction of that legislation. We are currently in conversations with potential members of Congress and senators about that, and we expect to see a reintroduction of that bill soon. I don't have a specific date yet.
How do you feel about NAHASDA’s reauthorization chances in this political environment?
I think one of the big challenges has been the gridlock in Congress. Right now, one of the big opportunities we see is what folks refer to as the trifecta, where you have one-party control in Washington, which hasn't happened in some time. You have Republican control of the executive branch and both the House and the Senate.
We see that as a major opportunity, and we're optimistic about the chances of getting this across the finish line because it hasn't happened for some time where you've had one party in control.
In addition, you mentioned the Buy America Build America regs as a challenge, too.
Yes, that's a big challenge for us. We're seeking a rollback of the requirements for tribal housing programs.
It contributes to a significant increase in the cost of materials and products, and it requires us to obtain waivers and exemptions from the Office of Management and Budget, which is a lengthy process and causes delays in project initiation and completion, especially in places like Alaska and our more remote communities. It requires substantial investment in terms of time and financial resources, so it's very onerous, and the compliance guidance has been difficult to track down.
Lots of challenges, but what are the opportunities in Native housing right now?
There's a lot of opportunity to streamline burdensome requirements that prevent Native families from accessing federal housing assistance in a timely manner. That's an area of interest for us in working with the new administration. There's also the reintroduction of several other tribal housing-related bills that we're eager to work with our friends, allies, and champions on the Hill.
For example, there's the Native American Rural Home Ownership Improvement Act, the Tribal HUD-Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) Act that would provide permanent statutory authority for the Tribal HUD-VASH program, and the Tribal Trust Land Home Ownership Act, which would modernize the BIA and their residential leasing mortgage approval process and title status report processes to enhance access to mortgage capital on trust land.
Outside of legislative priorities, what other opportunities do you see for Native housing right now?
I've been involved in some of the homeownership coalitions that are really promising and exciting. Those are becoming a big force for good in Indian Country that bring together various partners, philanthropic state housing and finance agencies, financial institutions, and so on.
Native American Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) are a big player right now, too. They’re really filling the gaps in terms of creating more access to capital.
So what’s next for NAIHC in the short and long terms?
I'll (note) our hope and expectation that there's going to be a continuation of the HUD Secretary's Tribal Intergovernmental Advisory Committee. We call it the TIAC, which provides meaningful and effective representation of tribal housing interest within HUD. We feel pretty positive about that work continuing based on conversations we've had with the new administration.
We have an amazing staff that is really dedicated to serving our membership, and I'm full of optimism when it comes to our upcoming events. We have our annual conference and trade show happening in Los Angeles, in the Universal Studios district, at the end of May, and we're always providing other training and technical assistance that we encourage people to look into.
