By Vanguard Staff
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Friday that California is awarding nearly $38.2 million to support housing and homelessness initiatives in Native American communities, with funding aimed at expanding permanent housing, culturally responsive services and homelessness prevention programs led by tribal governments.
The funding includes approximately $28.5 million distributed to 68 federally recognized tribes through the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s Tribal Homeless Housing, Assistance and Prevention Program, known as Tribal HHAP, as well as nearly $9.7 million for a separate affordable housing development through the state’s Tribal Homekey+ Program.
According to the governor’s office, the funding is intended to support permanent housing solutions, youth homelessness interventions and flexible approaches tailored to the unique needs of tribal communities.
“California is strengthening its partnership with tribal governments through programs and initiatives rooted in dignity, self-determination, and stability,” Newsom said. “Tribal communities know their people, their histories, and their challenges best. This government-to-government approach is designed to respect tribal sovereignty while addressing historic inequities and supporting efforts to reduce homelessness and help more Californians move off the streets and into safe, stable housing.”
The Tribal HHAP program provides flexible funding that allows tribal governments to develop culturally responsive homelessness prevention and housing strategies based on their own community priorities.
The state noted that tribal governments have historically faced significant barriers in obtaining state funding and traditional financing for affordable housing projects. Tribal HHAP was created with an emphasis on tribal sovereignty and self-determination to reduce those barriers and expand access to housing resources.
Since 2019, California has awarded tribal governments 174 grants totaling nearly $330.3 million through Housing and Community Development programs.
“As Chairwoman, I am proud that we have secured this grant to help address homelessness and housing instability in our community,” said Chairwoman Angela Elliott-Santos of the Manzanita Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. “Through this funding, the Tribe will be able to provide safe, culturally supportive interim shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness. We are grateful to the California Department of Housing and Community Development for investing in Tribal-led solutions that advance Tribal sovereignty and empower Tribes to meet the unique needs of their communities.”
Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency Secretary Tomiquia Moss said the programs are designed to strengthen tribal communities while respecting tribal sovereignty.
“Tribal HHAP and Tribal Homekey+ strengthen tribal communities by removing long-standing barriers and honoring their sovereign, community-driven approaches to housing,” Moss said. “These innovative programs reflect this administration’s deep commitment to solutions rooted in sovereignty, respect, and partnership so that tribal governments are supported in building a future where every community member is safely housed.”
According to the governor’s office, Tribal HHAP has served more than 3,325 people since the program began.
State officials said nearly $15 million invested in permanent housing has resulted in the creation or renovation of 319 permanent housing units, providing homes for more than 636 people in tribal communities.
The administration also reported investing more than $34 million in youth homelessness interventions, serving more than 758 young people experiencing homelessness.
Under Newsom’s administration, the number of tribal governments receiving Tribal HHAP funding has increased by 83% since the previous funding round and by 330% since the program’s first round of awards, according to the state.
Housing and Community Development Director Gustavo Velasquez said the department’s partnership with tribal governments has helped address longstanding obstacles to affordable housing development.
“HCD is proud to work hand-in-hand with our tribal partners to advance programs that break down historic barriers to affordable housing finance,” Velasquez said. “Through programs built around tribal sovereignty, we have the flexibility to fund housing and homelessness solutions through which tribes can best address the unique needs of their members.”
In addition to the Tribal HHAP awards, the Kashia Band of Pomo Indians of the Stewarts Point Rancheria received nearly $9.7 million through the state’s new Tribal Homekey+ Program, which is funded by voter-approved Proposition 1.
The funding will support the Kashia Windsor Housing Project, which will create 22 affordable rental homes for individuals at risk of homelessness. According to the governor’s office, most members of the tribe reside in Sonoma, Mendocino, Lake and Napa counties.
The governor’s office said the Tribal Homekey+ Program complements broader statewide efforts to address California’s housing and homelessness crisis.
The administration said those efforts include streamlining housing construction, funding shelters and permanent housing, expanding behavioral health services through Proposition 1, implementing updated conservatorship laws and establishing the CARE Court system. The state also cited its ongoing efforts to reduce encampments while connecting people experiencing homelessness with housing and services.
According to the governor’s office, California experienced a 9.5% decline in unsheltered homelessness last year, marking the first decrease in more than 15 years. The administration said the decline contrasts with national trends, where homelessness continues to increase, and attributed the reduction to the state’s broader housing and homelessness initiatives.
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“Newsom Admin Funds Fight against Historic Tribal Housing Barriers: $38.2M.”
What kind of headline for an article is that? What it actually means is that Newsom is taking state taxpayer funds and giving them to particular groups (who have the correct skin color) that no one else is eligible for.
And this is occurring AFTER Newsom already gave them substantial amounts of land (literally tens of thousands of acres), which would otherwise be in public hands.
If the people of this state actually knew what was occurring, there’d be a significant backlash against Newsom’s race-based policies and wholesale gifts of land that would otherwise be public, with essentially no public process/input.
Environmental groups are complicit in this (and sometimes arrange it themselves), since almost all of them are more of a social justice type of organization (rather than environmental protection organizations) at this point.
How ironic is it that “tribal sovereignty” is mentioned in the article as a justification, when they’re receiving free land from the public (that they have no legal claim to), AND public (non-tribal) funds from the state to then build on that land! And without any public input process in the first place.
Talk about “privilege” based on skin color. (But only if you have the “right percentage” of skin color from the “right tribe”.)
Otherwise known as systemic racism.