Chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, U.S. Sen. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), has introduced legislation to ensure the continued funding for housing programs to benefit native Hawaiians for the next decade.
The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Reauthorization Act of 2021 extends currently existing Native American housing programs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, acsording to Maui Now.
"Since 1996, the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act has provided Native communities in Hawaii and across the country with billions in federal dollars to help Native families find safe, affordable housing," Schatz wrote in a June 25 Facebook post. "Yesterday, we introduced a bipartisan bill that extends NAHASDA for another decade -- ensuring that Native communities continue to get the housing resources they need. And as chairman of Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, I’m working to make sure we get this bill across the finish line."
The legislation has bipartisan support and was cosponsored by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Sen. Jon Tester (D-Montana), Sen. John Hoeven (R-North Dakota), Sen. Tina Smith (D-Minnesota), Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nevada), Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-New Mexico) and Sen. Mike Rounds (R-South Dakota).
“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,” William Aila, Jr., Hawaiian Homes Commission Chair, told Maui Now. “The proposed improvements to the program will provide much-needed stability and assist DHHL (Department of Hawaiian Homelands) with the creation of more housing units and additional housing services.”
The bill also has the support of the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands.