Assessment of the Housing Needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians in Washington State

Project Profile

Final Report

Housing Washington Conference PowerPoint (PDF)

Presentation of Results to Stakeholders (Feb 2021)

Briefing Sheet
(PDF)

NWIHA Fall Conference PowerPoint (PDF)

Project Coordinators:
Kevin Klingbeil
Big Water Consulting
kevin@bigwaterconsulting.net

Nancy Pindus
Urban Institute
NPindus@urban.org

Lonny Macy
Akana
Lonny.Macy@akana.us

Project Description

In late December of 2019, following consultation and coordination with several Native organizations, the Washington State Department of Commerce selected the partnership of Big Water Consulting, Nancy Pindus of Urban Institute, and Akana to conduct an assessment of the housing needs of American Indians, Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians in Washington State. The project launched in January 2020 and the final report was submitted to the Department of Commerce in March 2021. The report for this project addresses the current housing needs of Washington’s various Native communities, including tribal and urban Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians, as well as various housing needs and barriers specific to certain regions of the state. The report also provides a set of recommendations to local and state authorities to support the development of sufficient and safe housing for Native Americans on and outside of tribal areas and addresses other systemic barriers that prevent or impede access to safe and sufficient housing by Native Americans.

Data Collection Components

• Analysis of Existing Data, including HUD’s Housing Needs of American Indians and Alaska Natives in Tribal Areas: A Report from the Assessment of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs, the Seattle Indian Service Commission King County American Indian/Alaska Native Housing Needs Assessment, ACS and Census data, mortgage data, and the Indian Housing Plans and Annual Performance Reports for Tribally-Designated Housing Entities in Washington State

• Survey of Housing Providers

• Survey of Advisory Group Members, including agencies, lenders, consultants, and funding sources

• Survey of Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and non-federally recognized tribes

• Focus Groups with Housing Providers

• Interviews with Knowledgeable Sources

• Convenings of Stakeholders  and Advisory Group Members (in conjunction with NWIHA, ATNI, NAIHC, Housing Washington and meetings of urban Native housing providers)

Stakeholders and Advisory Group Members

Stakeholders:

Chehalis Housing Authority
Colville Indian Housing Authority *
Cowlitz Indian Tribal Housing
Hoh Indian Tribe *
Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe
Kalispel Tribe of Indians Housing Office
Lower Elwha Housing Authority
Lummi Housing Authority
Makah Tribal Housing Department
Muckleshoot Housing Authority
Nez Perce Tribal Housing Authority
Nisqually Indian Tribal Housing
Nooksack Indian Housing Authority
Port Gamble S’Klallam Housing Authority
Puyallup Nation Housing Authority
Quileute Housing Authority
Quinault Housing Authority
Samish Indian Nation Housing Department
Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe Housing Department
Shoalwater Bay Indian Tribe
Skokomish Tribe
Snoqualmie Tribe
Spokane Indian Housing Authority
Squaxin Island Tribe
Stillaguamish Tribe
Suquamish Tribe
Swinomish Housing Authority
Tulalip Housing Department
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe *
Yakama Nation Housing Authority
Chief Seattle Club
Seattle Indian Health Board
United Indians of All Tribes Foundation
Mother Nation
Catholic Community Services
Moku`aina A Wakinekona Hawaiian Civic Club

*Indicates invited stakeholder who declined or did not respond

Project Timeline

January-May 2020

Phase One: Initial Stakeholder Outreach, Literature Review, Initial Data Collection

• Briefing sheet and introductory presentation provided to stakeholders

• Review of relevant local, state, regional and national tribal housing studies, policies and data

• Invitation sent to stakeholders and advisory group members, including request for recommendations regarding those who should be included in the process; Request nominations for chairs of stakeholder and advisory groups and conduct voting process

• Development and distribution of online form for collection of primary information from stakeholders and advisory group members, distributed to stakeholder and advisory group chairs for review and comment

May-September 2020

Phase Two: Focus Groups, Surveys, and Continued Data Collection and Compilation

• Focus groups with community members by region or housing type: coastal, Puget Sound corridor, eastern Washington/Columbia River, urban Native housing, Native Hawaiians in Washington, Alaska Natives in Washington

• Distribution of invitation and link to online survey instruments to 1) housing providers, and 2) agencies, lenders, developers, supportive service providers and other facilitators of housing development 3) Native Hawaiians, Alaska Natives, and members of non-federally recognized tribes

September-November 2020

Phase Three: Survey Data Analysis, Initial Findings Presentation, and Key Informant Interviews

• Compile, clean and analyze collected survey data

• Presentation of initial findings at Northwest Indian Housing Association Fall Conference (Sept 23)

• Individual interviews with selected housing providers, elected officials, regulators and facilitators of housing development (in coordination with stakeholder and advisory group chairs)

December 2020 - February 2021

Phase Four: Compile Report and Present Study Findings

• Final report drafted and reviewed by stakeholder group

• Presentation of results to stakeholder group (Feb 9)

• Report submitted to WA State Department of Commerce on March 1, 2021

Project Materials

1. Final Report

2. Housing Washington Conference PowerPoint (October 6, 2021)

3. Presentation of Results to Stakeholders (February 9, 2021)

4. Housing Provider Survey (for direct providers of housing to the Native community in WA)

   • PDF of Housing Provider Survey (reference only, please fill out online using above link)

5. Advisory Group Survey (for individuals or entities that provide services and other support to Native housing providers in WA)

   • PDF of Advisory Group Survey (reference only, please fill out online using above link)

6. Briefing Sheet (PDF)

7. Summary of Next Steps (PDF)

8. Draft Outline of Housing Provider Survey (PDF)

9. Draft Outline of Advisory Group Member Survey (PDF)

10. Notes from March Stakeholder Conference Call (PDF)

11. Notes from April Stakeholder Conference Call (PDF)

12. Notes from May Stakeholder Conference Call (PDF)

13. Notes from June Stakeholder Conference Call (PDF)

14. Notes from July Stakeholder Conference Call (PDF)

15. COVID-19 Case Management Tracking Tool Provided by Jacqueline Martin with the Samish Indian Nation (Excel)
    

Literature Review and EXISTING DATA Samples

1. HUD Assessment of American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing Needs

2. 2015 Housing Needs Assessment (Washington State, 2015)

3. 2017 Affordable Housing Update (Washington State, 2018)

4. Seattle Indian Services Commission’s King County American Indian/Alaska Native Housing Needs Assessment (2018)

5. United Way of King County’s A Vision for the Urban Indian Community (2014)

6. 2019 Point in Time Count of Sheltered and Unsheltered Homeless Persons (Washington State, 2019)