11/06/08

Tulalip self-help housing project is first in state on tribal lands

by Beckye Randall

On a gray Thursday afternoon, a special dedication took place on tribal land just off Turk Road. Five families, their friends and tribal leaders joined officials from Housing Hope, Snohomish County, and the state and federal government to celebrate the first self-help housing project on Indian land in the state.

Five lots in Mission Highlands have been set aside for Housing Hope projects, with the possibility of adding 11 more homes through the USDA-funded program.

As the Salmon Ceremony Family prepared to offer a song of cleansing and hope, Tulalip tribal leader Ray Fryberg intoned, “We travel through life with a destination in mind. Through hard work and good leadership, rewards are passed on to our people.”

Tribal members participating in the Housing Hope Self-Help program at Mission Highlands include (from left) Marvin Jones, James and Shelly Yant, and Gene and Anna Wysocki. Not pictured are the families of Kevin and Jenny Johnson and Rebecca and William Hunter.

In this case, those people include five tribal families who have been accepted for home ownership through the self-help program. Marvin Jones, Kevin and Jenny Johnson, Gene and Anna Wysocki, Rebecca and William Hunter, and James and Shelly Yant will work on each other’s homes over the next year to build homes on the wooded lots.

Each family is required to contribute 1,200 hours of volunteer labor in the construction process. Of those hours, only 600 may be offered by friends and family on the homeowners’ behalf. None of the families can move into their home until all the dwellings are complete.

Housing Hope president Ed Petersen explained, “These families will learn practical skills, including conflict management and resolution, as they help each other succeed.” To the prospective homeowners in attendance he added,  “Your future is dependent on your neighbors.”

Through 2007, owner-builders had constructed 193 homes in rural Snohomish County under the supervision of Housing Hope professionals. An on-site supervisor is available to advise and guide families five days a week throughout the process. Homeowners and their volunteer helpers contribute about 65 percent of the labor necessary to finish the homes.

Financing for the nonprofit venture is provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development program. Formerly known as Farmer’s Home Administration, the program provides low-interest financing for families who contribute “sweat equity” in exchange for lower mortgage payments.

“Over the past five years, Rural Development has invested over $55.5 million in a variety of Native American projects in Washington state, including water systems, houses, businesses, health clinics and electric generation systems,” said USDA regional director Wes Cochran.

“This is the first self-help housing project on tribal lands in the state, and we appreciate the leadership of the Tribes in this accomplishment,” he continued.

James and Shelly Yant were close to tears as they spoke about the opportunity provided to them by the Housing Hope project. “We’ll have a new house and a new family,” said James. “It’s hard to believe this is happening.”

Housing Hope Board member Maria Hicks watched the events with a knowing smile. Three years ago, she and her husband were just starting on the path to home ownership through a Housing Hope program in Arlington. “I was going to college, working three part-time jobs, and spending every spare minute at the building sites,” she said. “It was pretty intimidating, building a house from scratch, but with the help of neighbors, friends and church members, it all came together.”

In Hicks’ case, eight families worked together for about a year to complete 35 Housing Hope units near Portage Creek.

Before picking up a golden shovel for the groundbreaking ceremony, Snohomish County Executive Aaron Reardon commented, “The purpose behind an investment like this is to build the future. If we stand shoulder-to-shoulder and make investments with a sense of purpose, we make our communities stronger.”

For more information about Housing Hope in Snohomish County, visit www.housinghope.org or phone (425) 347-6556.

 

Sidebar

Financing for the Mission Highlands construction project is provided by:

• USDA Rural Development, which provided approximately $132,000 in financing for each family. The loans require no down payment or out-of-pocket expenses, and can be amortized over 33 or 38 years.
• USDA Technical Assistance of approximately $26,000 per family, paid to Housing Hope, for the site supervisor and management of the selection and loan process.
• Tulalip Tribes, which provided the land and lot improvements, valued at approximately $100,000 per family.
• Federal Home Loan Bank, with a subsidy of approximately $16,000 per family for lot and utility infrastructure costs.

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