Minneapolis Invests in Affordable Housing Projects, Including NACC
Minneapolis, MN – The city of Minneapolis is investing in 11 affordable rental housing projects, including the Native American Community Clinic on Franklin Avenue. The funding comes from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund Program (AHTF) and the Federal Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program. The Minneapolis City Council approved the awards on Dec. 5.
The Native American Community Clinic will receive roughly $1.15 million for the construction of 83 rental units in a mixed-use project with an expanded clinic on-site. The project is expected to be completed in March 2026.
Antony Stately, the clinic’s executive director and president, said the project will help stabilize people’s lives and provide a sense of belonging and support. The clinic’s expansion will also include larger gardens and a drum room for traditional healing.
Mayor Jacob Frey said, “One of the most critical things that we do at the City of Minneapolis is provide a foundation from which people can rise … making sure that people have a safe place to go home to at the end of the night, to rest their head on the pillow, to rejuvenate for the next day.”
According to Frey, Minneapolis is creating deeply affordable housing at a rate 8.5 times higher than previous years. The Native American Community Clinic’s housing and expanded construction is part of this effort.
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Trump taps anti-Indian Noem for Secretary of Homeland Security
Washington, DC – President-elect and 34-time felon Donald Trump has confirmed his intention to appoint South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security. Noem, a staunch supporter of Trump’s immigration policies, will oversee the Department of Homeland Security, which includes agencies such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
In South Dakota, all nine Native American tribes have banned Gov. Kristi Noem from their lands for saying racist and hateful things about Native Americans.
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Biden establishes a national monument commerorating Indian boarding school system
Washington, DC – President Biden announced the establishment of a new national monument to commemorate the history of the Indian boarding school system. Over 400 of these schools were created to separate tens of thousands of American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian children from their families, languages, and cultures.
Biden formally apologized for this system in October, calling it one of the darkest chapters in American history. The new monument will be located in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, at the former site of the Carlisle Indian Industrial School.
From 1879 to 1918, approximately 7,800 children from over 140 tribes were sent to the Carlisle boarding school, which served as a model for the federal Indian boarding school system. Over 970 children died in these schools, and survivors suffered from abuse and separation. The monument will be managed by the National Park Service and the U.S. Army.
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New initiative seeks to reduce energy costs for Indigenous people
Minneapolis, MN – Tribal nations possess the authority to regulate energy on their lands, and a new initiative by elected tribal leaders seeks to reduce energy costs for Indigenous people residing on these lands. Michael Childs Jr., an elected official from the Prairie Island Indian Community, has been chosen to lead this effort. His extensive experience in the energy sector and concern for high energy costs motivated him to join forces with other tribal leaders to form the Tribal Advocacy Council on Energy.
The council’s creation follows a resolution passed by the Minnesota Indian Affairs Council calling for an elected body dedicated to tribal energy issues. It aims to address the long-standing issue of costly energy and weak relationships between state and federal agencies and tribes. The council will provide policy recommendations to both state and federal agencies on various energy matters.
Childs emphasized the importance of a collective approach: “Our Tribal communities are coming together to find collective strength in our relations with the state of Minnesota, to work as allies who recognize the need for a just transition to clean energy, and to create a legacy of energy independence.”
The new initiative coincides with the state’s goal of providing 100% carbon-free electricity to customers by 2040, creating an opportune moment for the council to work towards more affordable and sustainable energy solutions for tribal communities.
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US Dept of Interior puts land into trust for PIIC
Prairie Island – The U.S. Department of the Interior has placed hundreds of acres of land owned by the Prairie Island Indian Community into trust for the tribe. This move allows the Prairie Island Indian Community to build an interim gaming facility in case of an emergency that would render their current Treasure Island Resort & Casino inoperable. The decision comes after the tribe’s concerns over potential catastrophic flooding or incidents from the nearby Prairie Island Nuclear Generating Plant, which have increased in recent years.
Prairie Island purchased 1,200 acres in Olmsted County in 2019, and about 400 acres of that land have now been put into trust. The land is located near the Olmsted-Goodhue county line along U.S. Highway 52. The fee-to-trust process enables the federal government to acquire legal title to the land the tribe owns and hold it in trust for the tribal nation, which can then use and manage the land for its citizens’ benefit.
Prairie Island Indian Community Council President Grant Johnson expressed gratitude for the support the tribe’s application received from federal, state, and local governments. He emphasized the importance of trust status in recognizing the tribe’s sovereignty and providing opportunities for business development, housing, and environmental and cultural protection.
The tribe is currently awaiting a decision on a second application to place several hundred more acres into trust, as they continue their efforts to provide a safer living option for their members and future generations.
The post New Briefs – January 2025 first appeared on The Circle News.
