FALL, 2005
Our Elders Housing Program has recently
provided a new home for Agnes Bruno.
By Marian Betts, Special Projects
Coordinator
The Elders Program is slowly coming to an
end after 7 years of serving the elderly on their home sites.
The 3 elders that have been served so far this year are;
Imogene Burbank, Eunice Raywinkle and Agnes Bruno. All
manufactured homes are 3 bedroom and 2 bath homes.
Agnes Bruno was willing to speak with me
today; these are some of the questions that I asked her:
Question# 1. Are you excited about
your new manufactured home that is being installed on your home
site? Agnes' response was; yes I an very happy the
exterior is the that I selected and I cannot wait to move into
my new home.
Question # 2. How will this change
your life to move into your own home that was purchased for you
by the Round Valley Indian Housing Authority? Agnes
replied by saying I will not have to pay rent and the money
that I used for rent I can put that money into my home such as
new curtains, new bed linens also a new dining room tangle.
I will also be able to save some money for emergencies.
Question # 3. Are you living in an
over crowded situation now? Agnes response; Yes I am.
I am living with relatives and they have small children.
I help take care of my grandchildren but I will be so
happy to be in my new home.
Question # 4. How are you planning to
landscape your yard? Agnes replied; I want a lot of
flowers, trees and a lawn around my home. I will have my
sons to build me a fence. I thank you and the Round
Valley Indian Housing Authority for my beautiful new home and
the Round Valley Indian Tribes for the land for my home, I am
very satisfied.
Agnes is one of our elders that are very
happy to have her own home. I do believe all of the
elders are happy with their homes where they are warm in the
winter months and cool in the summer months. When I purchased
the homes, I ordered them with air conditioners and the heating
source is central heating, plus a second source of heat is a
wood heater or a pellet stove. All the rooms are
carpeted, with exceptions of the kitchen and bathrooms.
The Marlette Manufactured Home is built with 6 inch
insulation and is a very comfortable home. I am trying to
finish up with the last 2 homes before December 2005.
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By Karen Breedlove, Housing Programs
Specialist
Part of the American Dream for many people
is owning their own home. But for many tribal members
living on Indian reservations, this dream has remained
unfulfilled.
To open up home mortgage opportunities on
reservations, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD) created the HUD 184 Indian Home Loan Program.
From its inception HUD has issued firm commitments to
guarantee mortgage loans for individuals, families and tribes
under this program.
The Challenges of reservation mortgage
lending often seem formidable to lenders off the reservation.
Lenders often site certain challenges in making mortgage
loans to tribal members living on reservations. The
challenges that have inhibit mortgage lending arise out of many
factors: the trust relationship between tribes and the
federal government, tribal attitudes toward land, the thin
housing market in many of these communities, the lack of down
payment funds and credit histories for many tribal members and
the use of tribal laws and legal structure to enforce
mortgages.
Fortunately, the Round Valley Indian
Housing Authority (RVIHA) has worked in conjunction with
California Indian Legal Services (CILS) to address the issue of
the legal structure of tribal law and tribal lands by creating
a Mortgage Lending Code to protect our lands. The Round
Valley Indian Tribes (RVIT) approved this code in February
2003. We have several more steps in the process of
becoming an approved tribe for the 184 Loan Program.
Remaining is the requirement they are to have the
Residential Lease Agreement approved by the RVIT and then sent
to HUD and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for their
approval.
The BIA plays a crucial role in this
process; they are responsible for the approval of loans on the
reservation as they are charged with ensuring that trust lands
remain in trust. The duty of protecting trust lands is not
taken lightly they perform a second approval of applicants
making sure that repayment of the loans are feasible.
Many people are not aware that trust lands can be lost
through foreclosure and it is the responsibility of the BIA to
prevent that. Tribes, too, are concerned about the
possibility of foreclosure. Many Indian people consider
their land to be their most valuable resources, not just for
the economic benefit that it can bring, but also because it
serves as a tie to past and future generations.
It is our goal to make every eligible
tribal member homeowners and the 184 Loan Program is another
avenue to achieving this goal. If you are interested in
this program please contact the RVIHA and ask for me. Karen
Breedlove, Housing Program Specialist and I will be happy to
answer any questions that you may have.
--Available on tribal trust, individual
allotted trust, or fee simple land in an Indian operating area.
--Low down payment of 1.25% to 2.25% based
on the lower of the appraised value or cost to acquire the
home.
--Refinance Eligibility.
--The maximum loan is 150% of the FHA
mortgage limit- subject to appraised value and down payment
requirements.
--1% financeable guarantee fee at closing.
--No private mortgage insurance or monthly
MIP.
--It is the lowest cost of any government
guarantee orconventional insurance program in Indian country!
--There is no monthly premium for a HUD-184
loan.
--Eligibility includes: New
construction, rehabilitation,or the purchase of an existing
house.
--One qualifying ratio: 41% total
debt to gross income ratio (which can be exceeded with
compensating factors).
--Single close construction (permanent)
loan where only one closing is required.
--100% guarantee to the lender in the event
of a foreclosure and claim.
--Loans may be assumed by a creditworthy
borrower that meets program eligibility.
By Rema Lincoln
Student Rental Assistance - 4 yr. college
Client: Duffoo'bee Bigpond
College: Eastern New Mexico University
How long have you been attending Eastern
New Mexico University? What is your Major/Minor?
I have been at eastern for two semesters.
my major is Communicative Disorders with an emphasis in Family
Consumer Science.
How did you hear about the Round Valley
Indian Housing Authority's Student Rental Assistance Program?
How has this program assisted you in establishing your
goals?
I heard about the program from my
mom. This program has helped me because i don't have to worry
about most of my rent each month!
Is there any program or project/event you
would like to see as the Rental Assistance Program provide for
tribal members?
Yes, it would be cool if like the program
could help with PNM, or an energy bill.
What are your plans after graduation?
I plan to enter a graduate program and
continue to get my Master's degree. It is required to be
certified by American Speech Language Hearing Association
(ASHA) in order to work as an SLP (Speech Langauge
Pathologist).
Do you see yourself returning to Round
Valley?
Yup, when I retire or sometime around
there!