HUD awards $1.4 million to Maine Native American communities

BOSTON, Mass — U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Julián Castro has announced more than $1.4 million to improve housing conditions, stimulate community development and create jobs in two Maine tribal communities.  Provided through HUD’s Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) Program, these funds support a wide variety of community development and affordable housing activities.
This year’s projects include a $600,000 grant to build a tribal fitness center for the Aroostook Band of Micmac Indian Tribe to address rampant diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and other health issues affecting the tribal community that can be prevented or minimized by exercise. The facility will include floor space for youth sports activities such as floor hockey, volleyball, racquetball and gymnastics as well as a year round walking track.
The Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians will use its $473,433 grant to construct a 1,120 square foot dental clinic. The clinic will remove the barrier of out-of-area travel to dentists who accept MaineCare. It will improve dental health and wellness for all ages of the tribal membership.
For the first time in fiscal year 2014, the awards will also be used through a special program to remediate and prevent mold in housing units owned or operated by tribes and tribally designated housing entities.  Nine tribes will receive funding for mold remediation; including the Aroostook Band of Micmac Tribe.  The Tribe will use its grant of $400,000 to permanently mitigate building moisture and mold in its 66-unit Bon Aire Tribal Housing Complex.  The incidence of asthma in these homes is 35 percent compared to 19.5 percent for those living outside the complex.
“These grants will create better housing, spur economic development and support self-determination in Native American communities,” said HUD Secretary Julián Castro. “ICDBG funds are an important investment in the remote and low-income tribal communities that need it most.  Through this work, we’re proud to help our tribal partners expand opportunity in their community by determining on their own, not from Washington, which local projects meet their needs and strengthen their future.”
The purpose of the ICDBG program is to develop viable Indian and Alaska Native communities, including decent housing, suitable living environments, and economic opportunities. Recipients can use the funding to support rehabbing or building new housing or to buy land for housing; for infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer facilities; and to spur economic development including job creation.
The ICDBG program was established in 1977 to help Indian tribes and Alaska Native villages to meet their community development needs.  Federally recognized Indian tribes, bands, groups or nations (including Alaska Indian, Aleuts and Eskimos,) Alaska Native villages, and eligible tribal organizations compete for this funding.