Five more Alaska, Oregon & Washington Tribes & native villages awarded almost $3.4 million in sixth round of CARES Act funding to address COVID-19 challenges.
Today (August 21st, 2020) five more federally recognized Alaska Native Villages and Tribes in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, including the Orutsararmiut Native Council in Bethel, were awarded a total of $3,382,608 in Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) funds, appropriated to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development by the CARES Act to help address problems that pose an imminent threat to the public health or safety of Tribal residents.
This is the fifth round of CARES Act I-CDBG funds awarded to Tribes and Villages by HUD. In the prior rounds, 21 Alaska Tribes and Villages have been awarded $27 million, 2 Idaho Tribes have been awarded $2.7 million, 3 Oregon Tribes have been awarded $2.7 million, and 8 Washington Tribes have been awarded $7.6 million in ICDBG funds.
“Today’s grant announcement will help families throughout Indian Country to access essential resources amid the coronavirus outbreak,” said HUD Secretary Ben Carson.
“Virtually every community in the United States big or small, rural or urban, Tribal or not is facing challenges created by the pandemic,” said HUD Northwest Regional Administrator Jeff McMorris. “This CARES Act HUD funding enabler Region’s Tribes and Native Villages to proceed with their highest-priority projects to protect their members and communities.”
Today’s awardees include:
Native Village of Selawik: $421,525
The Native Village of Selawik will use their grant to renovate a building, where the community can store food and supplies. It will allow both dry and freezer storage and will meet State and Federal standards for long-term food storage. Given its isolated location, food and supplies need to be delivered by airplane or by summer barge service.
Orutsararmiut Native Council, Bethel: $900,000
The Orutsararmiut Native Council will use their grant to buy and rehabilitate three (3) homes, which will help alleviate the housing shortage and help reduce the risk of transmitting COVID-19.
Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians of Oregon: $900,000
The Confederated Tribe of Siletz Indians of Oregon will use their grant to provide short-term emergency rental assistance to families who are facing financial hardship due to COVID-19.
Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, Port Angeles: $261,083
The Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe will use their grant to buy and distribute personal protective equipment and supplies to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. In addition, the grant will be used to buy freezers, where food can be stored, and to establish an emergency communication system.
Quinault Housing Authority, Taholah: $900,000
The Quinault Housing Authority will use their grant to construct a helipad, which will make it possible to transfer patients from the Roger Saux Health Clinic to the nearest hospital. In addition, the grant will be used to hire a coordinator, who can help individuals impacted by COVID-19.
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These ICDBG funds, provided through the CARES Act, will be used to support several projects on Tribal lands across the United States, such as: The construction of new rental housing to address overcrowding and homelessness; The building of transitional housing for quarantined individuals and families that have tested positive for COVID-19; The construction of an emergency operation center to help respond to current and future COVID-19 issues; and The rehabilitation of an existing hotel for the isolation of Tribal members affected by COVID-19.
