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345 SE 5th, Madras, OR 97741 | 541.475.2275
While Warm Springs officials await a warning letter and investigation by federal housing authorities, the status of the Warm Springs Housing Authority remains in limbo.
In March, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development Department's Northwest Office of Native American Programs issued a warning letter citing a variety of concerns about the tribes' compliance with requirements for receiving $1.4 million in funding each year.
The problem has been ongoing since at least July 2008, when an onsite visit by the Northwest Office of Native American Programs revealed a number of violations (outlined in a separate article).
In response to the findings, according to Jody Calica, secretary-treasurer for the tribes, "The old Tribal Council passed a resolution during their workshop in January to move in the direction of disbanding the Housing Authority and making it a tribal department."
Before further action was taken on the matter, a new Tribal Council was elected in March. "The new Tribal Council basically stopped the process that would have committed us to that direction," said Calica.
In the meantime, he said, "The Housing Authority board has been basically put in an advisory capacity to the Tribal Council. Things are kind of in limbo until we can get some kind of direction from Tribal Council."
Calica contacted the federal agency in February requesting an investigation and audit of the Housing Authority. "They're just basically starting to interview people," he said.
As the federal investigation unfolds, an internal disagreement has also arisen over the handling of the Housing Authority.
"Right now, there's a bit of controversy about was there or wasn't there some level of misconduct," Calica explained. "That's some of what needs to be resolved with this investigation."
If there was misconduct in the Housing Authority, he continued, "What was the nature and the seriousness of the misconduct, and what needs to be done? It's an open question."
Calica said that Urbana Ross, the new chief operating officer, is in charge of overseeing the Housing Authority, and has been taking steps toward improving the housing situation.
"I know that part of the findings were to get some of our police officers staying up in the area of our HUD rental units," he said. "Urbana has been trying to get that to happen."
Burned out and otherwise unsafe housing units are a continuing problem. "There are a couple burned out units that need to be taken care of," he said. "We need to resolve those and tear them down."
As for the unsafe units, "If they can't be rehabbed, we need to make a decision to demolish them," Calica said. "We need guidance from Tribal Council."
