On Thursday, July 21, 2022, NCN hosted U.S. Representative Sharice Davids and USDA-Rural Development Under Secretary Xochitl Torres Small, along with Native CDFI leaders from the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition that included Tawney Brunsch, Joanna Donohoe, Stephanie Provost, and Lakota Vogel, in a conversation about Section 502 and the home loan demonstration project. Roundtable guests shared their challenges and successes related to the demonstration project. U.S. Representative Davids and Under Secretary Torres Small also took questions from attendees about the project and how legislation introduced in Congress seeks to turn the project into a permanent program with adequate funding to help meet Indian Country’s mortgage lending capital needs.
An overview of the Native American Rural Homeownership Improvement Act of 2021 (S. 2092, H.R. 6331) that would provide permanent access to this source of mortgage lending can be downloaded here along with a copy of a letter template to request co-sponsorship from your state representatives.
A recording of the session in its entirety is below: