| Summary: | HOUSING Program 19 The current housing situation on Indian reservations is described in the report as follows: "Housing facilities on reservation are almost universally inadequate and conducive to poor health. The study designed by Sar Levitan and Barbara Hetrick published in the book Big Brother's Indian Programs With Reservations. In it they attempted to research not the Indian people but the federal services designed to enable the first Americans to share in the standard of living. Their research revealed that over half the Indian and Alaskan native families live in self-made one or two-room homes constructed from whatever material are freely available on the land and are generally unsuited to severe climatic conditions. Usually five or six persons are crowded into these dwelling units. A Bureau of Indian Affairs Bulletin released in 1970 reports, Approximately 9 ago, the Bureau of Indian Affairs made the first full scale effort to provide housing for needy Indian people through the help of Federal says in part, Previous to the 1961 decisions, housing needs were approached differently on each of the North Dakota reservations. At Ft. Berthold Reservation, Sara Waters, an elderly member of the Arikara tribe recounts a series of changes in the Three Tribes living arrangement. First, people were living close together in the Old Like-A-Fishook Village, next they were placed on scattered sites. Finally the lands were inundated by the Garrison project and the latest change bunched the people up in low rental units on the edges of the Reservoir. "A cooped up.Like-a-Fishhook Village.Petticoat Junction .I don't want to live there.get it finished." From a recent Bureau of Indian Affairs 1970-71 Bulletin on housing, we learn housing conditions are improving at a fair rate. As of June 30, 1970, 1/3 of the Indian families were in modern standard housing. Scheduled and planned projects increased this to 1/2 by June 30, 1971. Early housing at the Turtle Mountain Reservation is described by a native of that reservation, Marie de Montigny. "You had to build own houses out of logs.shacks. I remember all that." The present day housing at the Turtle Mountain Reservation is summarized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs Bulletin as follows, “The low rent housing program had made 140 units available for the Indian people, 100 units located at Belcourt and 40 units located near Dunseith.” Another housing situation exists at the Standing Rock Indian Reservation. Ambrose Antelope tribal Councilman from the Bullhead District explains the housing common to his reservation, "Let me go back 12 years. family plan.before that . mostly in log houses.some with dirt floor.roads built in here." The interviewer asked if the residents of the reservation had to supply their own housing and Mr. Antelope replied, "Yes it was mostly homes built themselves.inherited from parents… main streets where we could travel." The current needs on the Standing Rock Reservation are reviewed in the 1970-71 Bureau of Indian Affairs Bulletin, “There are 87 old dwellings on the reservation which should be renovated and 300 old dwellings which should be replaced.” The Ft. Totten Reservation first received housing aid in 1935. Fort Totten took part in the first housing project in this area. Prior to 1935 no housing assistance was made available to the reservations. Housing specialists for the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the Turtle Mountain Agency, Wayne Trottier, comments on this project, "In 1936-36 housing Ft. Totten.still standing.still being lived in." Future Ft. Totten Reservation Housing Plans are outlined in the Bureau's 1971 Housing Bulletin which states: Housing conditions are improving at a good rate. As of June 30, 1970, 140 Indian families or about a third were living in standard housing. In the spring of 1971 a second group of 60 low-rent units will be constructed under HUD. Additional remodeling and replacement is being done under the BIA Home Improvement Program (HIP) through a contract with the tribe. By June 1972, half of the Indian families will occupy standard housing, and by 1977 plans are to have 100% of the Indian families occupying standard housing. Sar A. Levitan's and Barbara Hetrick's studies found that poverty and substandard housing conditions are in part responsible for the serious health deficiencies suffered by American Indians. The average infant mortality rate among Indians is 1 1/2 times that of the rest of the population, and the life expectancy of those who do survive is much lower than that of either the white or black populations. The average age at the time of death for an Indian is 44, two decades younger that it is for the average American. Poverty and its symptoms of poor diets and unsanitary living conditions have contributed to a widespread incidence of disease caused by malnutrition.” Difficulties of inadequate housing at Ft. Berthold are discussed by Dominik Sillitti. He also explains why many people even today feel summer is the only good time. "You can be very philosophical when you don’t have anything to eat and your cold.new housing .complaints.white don't get anything.unless he is on his own.winter a trial to get through .summer only good time still feel that today." The Levitan/Hetrick study, Big Brothers Indian Programs, contends that the single most direct cause of many environmental factors affecting ill health among American Indians is poverty. Indians simply cannot afford to provide themselves and their children with nutritious meals, well-heated and soundly constructed homes, and consistent medical and dental care. Communities characterized by poverty cannot provide sanitation systems, paved roads, public transportation, safe water sources, or networks of communication. An average American income, both on an individual and group basis, is needed before the American Indians, Aleuts, and Eskimos can be expected to reach the health status of the average American citizen. A popular misconception holds that all Indians receive free housing and can decide where it is built. Wayne Troitier explains the actual way housing programs work, "All Indians receive free housing on reservation…this is totally untrue.All Indian can choose.becoming more there.renting tribal land .have 25 year lease with 25 year option.sign or reclaim.as it should be…My opinion. if we have to pay money back.should choose where they want to live.and it did come about that. choose.now." Several agencies and programs work together to attempt to meet the demand for housing on all the reservations. Mr. Henry Bowker of the Standing Rock Reservation Public Health Service describes how this is accomplished, "The agencies.HUD.EDA. responsible for the house…our responsibility is finding water.lines and stuff like this." The success of the total housing effort is revealed in a 1971 General Accounting Office report as a distinctly negative note, evaluating a broad-scale program launched by the federal government several years ago with the aim of eliminating sub-standard reservation dwellings by the end of the 1970's, GAO concluded, “Progress had been slow. Unless the program is accelerated substantially, thousands of Indian families will continue to live under severe hardship conditions.” The report quoted the Bureau of Indian Affairs as estimating in June, 1968 that 68,300 Indian families still were living in substandard housing, GAO said, “Although the program lags primarily because not enough houses are being built, many of the houses that have been built are inadequate because of defective design or incomplete construction.” Another complication occurs since many federal agencies have lacked the frame of reference for reservation situation. Wayne Troittier describes the situation which results, "Well let's face it HUD had only worked.in cities .here.completely opp.we have space. Indian home sites.what's a garden." By communicating with the Indian people and realizing errors of the past, the government is changing its approach to housing on the reservation. "Another thing that has changed.not allowed basement.perfect example.Refusal.they had no experience on reservations.none what so ever…I think things are coming around.being more realistic.you have to take this." The Standing Rock Housing situation remains one of the primary concerns and good housing continues to be a premium according to Henry Bowker of Standing Rock, "We do have a rural program. service Indian.rural people.no trouble in filling complex.house a premium here." According to Former HUD Director George Romney, “The future of Standing Rock Housing includes the Annual Arrangement which will make $3.5 million available to your Tribe for a large number of programs. This is the first Annual Arrangement of this type that we have worked out with any Indian Tribe. This money will be used to support the work of your Advisory Board, Open Space Program, 60 units of 236 rentals with rent supplement assistance and a 50 unit mobile home park, 100 units of low rent public housing and funds for rehabilitation purposes. We are tremendously anxious to see this succeed because we think it represents an improvement over the piece meal approach that we have had and this is an outgrowth of the sort of comprehensive planning which started with Douglas Skye.” Similar housing needs exist at Turtle Mountain and are defined in a tribal survey explained by Mr. Troitier. "Recent surveys.homes in need of improvement. replacement .Total number. (Tribal survey numbers).Total new housing needs 736." The housing needs of Indians in North Dakota and across the nation are staggering. George Romney explained the degree of housing assistance previously afforded the Indian people when he said the following, "If you take a look at Indian housing that's been built with federal assistance, up through July of this year, there have been 20,000 units. That means that in the next four years, there will be more units built on Indian reservations than were built in previous years combined. I think that this is significant because I do not believe it is possible to have a good and wholesome family life without having a suitable place in which to rear the children. And, furthermore, if this nation is going to achieve our ideals and our principals then it is going to be necessary to increase the opportunities for all Americans, and particularly minority Americans, to have greater choices in the housing field.” The meaning of substandard housing is qualified by Wayne Troitier, "I would say probably running water… condition…size .has a lot to do with it." Housing needs on the reservations of North Dakota are being met by three housing programs. American Indian and Federal Aid describes these programs as Turnkey housing, Low-Rental Housing and Mutual Help Housing. "Provisions for a dollar amount.a reality and a tragedy at same time." "My idea of a tragedy is.hauling water on the reservations… On moon.and yet living in same country." This tragedy is not an isolated area. Levitan and Hetrick found the nationwide situation to reflect this tragedy. Their research published in Big Brother Programs with Reservations states, “The heating systems often consist of fireplaces or wood burning stoves that are used for both warmth and cooking. Most dwelling units have no water source on the premises, so water (which is frequently contaminated) is hauled over long distances from creeks, and wells. Over half of the Indian homes have no indoor bathrooms, and 45 percent of the outdoor privies and sewage-disposal facilities have been judged totally inadequate by sanitation experts. Rarely is there any acceptable method of refuse disposal, pest control is virtually absent, and food sanitation practices are usually unsatisfactory.” "Education is essential.not know than can abuse.you break it.education to use modern convenience." According to the Bureau Housing Bulletin, “The principal emphasis in attempting to improve Ind. housing continues to be that of helping Indians obtain assistance under federal housing programs administered by HUD. Under agreements between the BIA and HUD, tribal governments and Indian housing authorities are assisted in developing and managing housing programs until they have the experience and staff to operate on their own. “This arrangement has definite impact on the reservations. Wayne Troittier describes the affects at Turtle Mountain as of the Spring of 1972. The interviewer asked if there is an easy way to speed up production of housing with this program. "I think what they are doing.1st program. might weigh heavy on future contracting of this type. "First of all we have 200.one must be complete.if we are to remain.going as fast as we can. speeding .it us.would mean outside people taking our employment…At least with us anyway proves can reduce.additional contracts." The book, Big Brother's Programs With Reservations, published in 1972 states that. “The job deficit and low income are further reflected in sub-standard housing conditions. Nearly four of every five Indian families live in unsanitary, dilapidated housing, while only 8 out of 100 all American families living in inadequate houses. Through funding of public housing by the federal government was initiated during the 1930's, a quarter century elapsed before the federal government began to take steps to alleviate the poor housing on Indian reservations.” According to Ben H. Bogdikian, writing in the Saturday Evening Post, “A prevailing myth exists that the government has been building masses of new low-income houses for the poor, which the middle class has paid for and the poor have ruined.” The reality is that low income housing is still an urgent need. The government has torn down more units than it has built. Until this need is met the health and standard of living of the Indian people will continue to be well below the national average.
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