Pascua Yaqui Tribe gets tax credits to build homes for 200 families

by Adnan Alam
  • Slug: Pascua Yaqui Housing
  • Run time: 1:30
  • Downloadable audio here. (Note: Some web browsers may not support media download.)

Madison Thomas
Cronkite News

HOST INTRO

IN SOUTHERN ARIZONA, A NEW AFFORDABLE HOUSING DEVELOPMENT IS UNDERWAY FOR THE PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE. 

CRONKITE NEWS REPORTER MADISON THOMAS EXPLAINS HOW THE DEVELOPMENT COULD CHANGE LIVES 

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MORE THAN 1,000 FAMILIES IN THE PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE ARE ON A WAITLIST FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING. THAT’S  ACCORDING TO KEITH GREGORY. HE’STHE TRIBE’S HOUSING DIRECTOR. BUT FOR 200 FAMILIES THE WAIT WILL SOON BE OVER.

<KEITH GREGORY/DIRECTOR OF HOUSING>

“What we’re trying to do has never been done before, anywhere in tribal housing. The first of the project, the phase we are working on right now, is literally the largest tax credit project ever done in the United States on tribal land.”

GREGORY SAYS THE TRIBE APPLIED FOR THE TAX CREDITS THROUGH THE STATE’S DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING. THE PROJECT RECEIVED ROUGHLY 15 MILLION DOLLARS THROUGH TAX CREDITS SOLD TO INVESTORS. 

<KEITH GREGORY/DIRECTOR OF HOUSING, PASCUA YAQUI TRIBE >

“The tax credit program is authorized by the federal government. They allocate dollars to the states that then are allocated to individual projects.”

THE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY EXPECTS TO COMPLETE THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROJECT BY THE END OF THE YEAR. 

THE NEXT PHASE WILL INCLUDE TWENTY-SEVEN UNITS AND A THIRD PHASE IS CURRENTLY IN DESIGN. GREGORY SAYS THEY ARE COMMITTED TO PROVIDING THE COMMUNITY WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.

<KIETH GREGORY/DIRECTOR OF HOUSING>

“Housing is more than just buildings. It’s an opportunity to help people reach their own goals.”

TENANTS WILL HAVE THE OPTION TO BUY THE HOME AT A REDUCED RATE AFTER RENTING HOMES FOR 15 YEARS. GREGORY SAYS THIS ALLOWS FAMILIES TO START BUILDING GENERATIONAL WEALTH FROM THE HOME’S EQUITY. 

MADISON THOMAS, CRONKITE NEWS