Sen. Schatz Introduces Bill To Continue Funding Native Hawaiian Housing Program

US Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI), chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, introduced the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization that is bipartisan legislation building upon successful Native American housing programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Those programs were authorized by the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA), including the Native Hawaiian Housing Block Grant and Indian Housing Block Grant programs.

“Since it was first signed into law in 1996, NAHASDA has provided billions in federal dollars to Tribes and Native communities in Hawai‘i and across the country,” Sen. Schatz said. “Our bill continues this bipartisan tradition and extends NAHASDA for another decade, giving Native communities the resources they need to help more Native families find safe, affordable housing.”

The bill is supported by the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.

“We welcome the reauthorization of NAHASDA at a time where the Hawaiian community is commemorating the 100th centennial of the signing of Hawaiian Homes Commission Act this coming July,” said Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair William J. Aila, Jr. “The proposed improvements to the program will provide much needed stability and assist DHHL with the creation of more housing units and additional housing services.”

Schatz’s legislation is cosponsored by US senators Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), Jon Tester (D-MT), John Hoeven (R-ND), Tina Smith (D-MN), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM) and Mike Rounds (R-SD).