Wa-Di Housing, a tribal transit-oriented development. Looking north towards Colorado Peak (left) and Tetilla Peak (right). Photo Credit: AOS Architects

As we prepare for the 4th of July holiday, we take this time to honor our brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, fathers and mothers. We reflect on what our relations fought for—these Indigenous lands which were stolen and used to create massive amounts of wealth for a privileged few, creating what we now call the United States of America. We acknowledge that not only do Native Americans serve in our armed forces at higher rates than any other demographic to date—we are also one of the most hard-hit communities during the coronavirus pandemic. For Indian Country, the problem is more than a lack of supplies and an overwhelmed health care system. A housing crisis is fanning the flames of a highly contagious virus, illuminating the role that housing has on our health. 

Did we fight to end one form of oppression only to leave our families languishing under another?

In New Mexico, 18 or more people may live in a single 900-square-foot house, a size that more typically houses an American family of four. In alignment with Indigenous values, we shelter and care for one another under the same roof; we make space. Such tight living conditions, many with poor sanitation, lack of running water, and compromised air quality, contribute to the spread of disease and long-term health problems. Native American populations also have disproportionately high levels of underlying conditions, like heart disease and diabetes, making us particularly susceptible to complications from COVID-19.

In New Mexico, 18 or more people may live in a single 900-square-foot house, a size that more typically houses an American family of four.

Elder populations, who carry with them our traditional knowledge, stories, and Indigenous languages, are now in a battle for their lives. COVID-19 is an enemy that is leveraging the built environment and the overcrowded housing stock to inflict substantial harm to this vulnerable population. If our elders become casualties of this pandemic, Native peoples will lose connections to culture, community, and past.

For too long, Native Americans have settled for substandard housing that deteriorates quickly or emergency shelters that were never meant to be housing. Rather than continue to accept the status quo, now is the time to rethink what tribal housing can be. By redesigning the system, we can build houses that families can take pride in for generations to come, creating not just shelters, but designing and developing homes.

Examples of such housing exist. In Tacoma, Wash., the design firm Environmental Works partnered with the Puyallup Nation Housing Authority to develop “Place of Hidden Waters,” a 20-unit affordable tribal townhouse complex that marries contemporary design with traditional elements. The project engaged multiple stakeholders, including the housing authority, community, and Indigenous architects. The result was an affordable, culturally-responsive development that achieved LEED Platinum certification. 

COVID-19 is an enemy that is leveraging the built environment and the overcrowded housing stock to inflict substantial harm to this vulnerable population. If our elders become casualties of this pandemic, Native peoples will lose connections to culture, community, and past.

In March, the federal government passed its $2.2 trillion coronavirus stimulus package, of which $8 billion was allocated to tribal governments. Of that, $300 million has been earmarked for federal Indian housing programs. While this is a step in the right direction, housing has been severely underfunded for years. The Indian Housing Block Grant, one of the key programs under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self Determination Act, has seen stagnant funding since its implementation in 1998. Had it kept pace with inflation, the grant would have received nearly $1 billion. At current levels, however, tribal nations’ purchasing powers are less than it was 20 years ago. This diminished budget allows for the development of only around 1,000 new units per year, far below the 68,000 the federal government itself deemed necessary.

In my role as Director of MASS Design Group’s Sustainable Native Communities Design Lab, we seek to creatively leverage capital to overcome this chronic under-funding by using a combination of federal funds, private dollars, and philanthropy. One successful precedent is a subdivision developed on the Pueblo of San Felipe in New Mexico. Rather than building a handful of homes using the $500,000 annual block grant, the Pueblo of San Felipe Housing Authority used a series of Title VI loans for construction, then converted the new mortgages into Section 184 loans. In the end, the housing authority was able to leverage its initial funding to invest nearly $5 million in 150 homes.  

At current levels, however, tribal nations’ purchasing powers are less than it was 20 years ago. This diminished budget allows for the development of only around 1,000 new units per year, far below the 68,000 the federal government itself deemed necessary.

Adequate housing provides more than just environmental and health benefits—when designed well, the process of constructing housing can also be a vehicle for economic development. Instead of relying on outside labor and materials, Tribal builders, developers, and craftspeople should be employed. Not only will this help develop a skilled and unskilled workforce that can redistribute profit back into the community, but it will also ensure that projects reflect Indigenous values. 

COVID-19 is an acute condition with a direct connection to the built environment that exposes the chronic disenfranchisement and injustices we see in Native communities. We need to work together as a country—as a civil society—to create sustainable, long-term solutions that will lift up the true sovereignty of our Indigenous communities. Acknowledging our history is a movement in the right direction, but if we are to create systemic change we must take action and design sustainable, transformational solutions for future generations to come. As we celebrate the 244th anniversary of these United States, I’m hopeful that time is now. 

Joseph Kunkel is a citizen of the Northern Cheyenne Nation and is the Director of MASS Design Group’s Sustainable Native Communities Design Lab based in Santa Fe, NM. In 2019, Joseph was awarded an Obama Foundation Fellowship for his work exploring transformational change that aligns with Indigenous values and honors the worldviews of Indigenous populations. He is a 2019 Civil Society Fellow, and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.