ROCK HILL, S.C. — Marcia Fudge, Secretary of the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, got a clear message Tuesday when she visited the Catawba Indian Nation Reservation in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Fudge toured the Catawbas’ housing projects and discussed efforts to provide affordable housing for tribal citizens. She toured part of the ISWA development, subsidized housing that was built with federal grant money.
The word ‘Iswa’ is another name for the Catawba people.
The ISWA development offers housing programs for low income Native Americans. The program covers rental housing with payments on income, emergency housing and a lease-to-own program. The development is funded by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996.
After the tour, Fudge sat down with with Catawba Chief William “Bill” Harris, Assistant Chief Jason Harris, Catawba officials and tribal citizens who currently live in the ISWA development.
“What can HUD do to make your communities and lives better?” Fudge asked.
Catawba leaders stressed the need for additional housing.
“We don’t have enough for people who apply,” said Dee Harris, chair of the ISWA Board.
The panel also discussed the need for opportunities for home ownership instead of rental housing, as well as funding for public safety. Fudge said she would “bring back to Washington” the topics they discussed.
“This is a prime example of what (the government) should be,” Bill Harris said. “It should be a representative U.S. government, coming and talking to the sovereign nations of America, and finding out ‘what are the needs?’”
The Catawbas are the only federally recognized Native American tribe in South Carolina. This was Fudge’s first visit to meet with a tribal government and visit a reservation in her official capacity.
The visit was part of a press tour to promote President Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” agenda and “its investments in housing, construction, and rehabilitation, economic development, and community revitalization,” a press release said. Part of this agenda, which is contained in two bills that have yet to pass congress, will help fund additional housing for Indian tribes, Fudge said.
Fudge specifically visited the Catawba reservation at Biden’s request, to hear from tribal leaders directly and discuss how the federal government can assist tribal nations.
“The president has said we have to do all we can to participate with tribal leaders, to look at the sovereignty of the Indian Nations. So I’m here not only to do what I am required to do, as the President has instructed to me, but as well, because I think it’s important. Because these tend to have been communities that have been woefully underfunded and left out of a lot of policy, that I think should have been beneficial ...,” she said.
“I think as the secretary it’s important to see all of the people I represent and serve. I have not been to Indian Country since I had become secretary. I know the need. Certainly I’ve been having regular and ongoing conversations with tribal leaders. And since I was in the area, I thought it was a perfect time to come and see what we can do to be helpful.”
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