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WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. I-Ariz., hosted a meeting with the San Carlos Housing Authority — a tribally-designated housing entity for the San Carlos Apache Reservation — to discuss solutions to the shortage of affordable and available tribal housing options.
“Arizonans living on the San Carlos Apache Reservation — and in all tribal communities across our state — deserve access to safe, affordable housing. We’ll continue working with the Arizonans who know best to develop and deliver long-lasting results,” Sinema said.
During the meeting, Sinema expressed her support for a number of proposals that would help make housing more affordable and accessible on the reservation, including reauthorizing the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 in a bipartisan way, ensuring that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) vouchers can work for Arizona veterans in Indian Country, and identifying a solution to address cleanup and remediation of methamphetamine and fentanyl in housing, an expensive and growing problem for the community.
Last month, Sinema convened two events with housing leaders in Phoenix — one focused on homelessness and services, and one around housing supply and affordability. Sinema first toured UMOM, the largest shelter services provider in Maricopa County and saw firsthand how their innovative model provides child care and workforce development alongside shelter services.
Afterward, Sinema brought industry stakeholders and affordability advocates together to assess the market in Arizona, identify supply chain challenges that hold capital investment back, and craft solutions to those challenges.
Sinema recently met with the White Mountain Apache Housing Authority to hear their needs and priorities regarding Indian housing affordability and availability in their community.
