Although tribes consider NAHASDA block grants as effective, improvements need to be made in tracking infrastructure plans, so says a U.S. Government Accountability Office
report published last month.
The report tells how many small grantees do not develop new housing with their block grant funding. Out of 359 grantees in FY 2008, 102 received less than $250,000, with 22 of those reporting that they had developed new housing, the report said. These grantees often provide tenant-based rental assistance and other such services.
HUD does not track activities that are not unit-based (units built, acquired or rehabilitated) and it does not report these activities to Congress.
HUD, though, is revising its reporting to track more activities, which should help efforts to assess the impact of NAHASDA, the report said. It also plans to obtain IHS data on housing-related infrastructure deficiencies on tribal lands.
To read the complete report, click on “report” above or go to: www.gao.gov/new.items/d10326.pdf.
Does GAO understand that first and foremost we are charged with maintaining our 37Act stock? Do they understand that we are doing that almost flat lined funding? Do they understand that we are struggling to maintain poorly constructed HUD units with our dwindling funding? Do they understand that many of the small Tribes are not big enough to get any economies of scale with our funding?
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