Renzi Announces Hearing on Native American Homeownership

At the request of U.S. Rep. Rick Renzi (AZ-01), the House Subcommittee on Housing & Community Opportunity of the Financial Services Committee will hold a hearing entitled "Removing Barriers to Homeownership for Native Americans" at 11 a.m. on Monday, July 31st, at the Cliff Castle Convention Center in Camp Verde, AZ. Congressman Renzi, a member of the Subcommittee, will participate in the hearing & will be joined by other members of the subcommittee, as well as representatives from a variety of federal agencies involved with Indian housing issues.

"The lack of good jobs, the skyrocketing cost of housing, & complicated title issues & red tape, have pushed the dream of homeownership further & further out of reach for Native American families around Arizona, & throughout the country," said Rep. Renzi. "This trend is unacceptable, & must be turned around. I applaud the Subcommittee for its decision to hold this important hearing on Monday, & look forward to expanding homeownership for more Native American families throughout the nation."

The hearing will focus on the unique relationship between Native American Tribes & the U.S. Government & the housing situation on reservations. It will also address the barriers to home ownership for Native Americans & the possible solutions that would improve the process of obtaining titles and financing for housing units. Despite existing programs & efforts to remove existing barriers, the title process continues to impede homeownership for Native Americans.

Scheduled witnesses include: President Joe Shirley of the Navajo Nation; Chairwoman Kathy Kitcheyan of the San Carlos Apache Tribe; & Chairman Jamie Fullmer of the Yavapai-Apache Nation; Orlando Cabrera, Assistant Secretary, Public Housing & Indian Affairs, Dept. of Housing & Urban Development; Edward Browning, Arizona Rural Development State Director, Rural Housing Service, Dept. of Agriculture; Alan Anspach, Regional Director for the Western Region, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Dept. of the Interior; along with other representatives from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Dept. of Housing & Urban Development, the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, & the National American Indian Housing Council.

All members of the public are invited.