Pete Upton, Native CDFI Network’s CEO with Cindy Nava, Senior Policy Advisor, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development
Pete Upton, Native CDFI Network’s CEO with Carla Tillmon, Community Affairs Specialist, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and Leon Gray, Senior Relationship Manager, NeighborWorks America
From June 6 to 8, 2023, Native CDFI Network’s CEO, Pete Upton, attended South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition’s 10th Annual Convening, site visit, and Lender Symposium in Fort Thompson, South Dakota. The convening and tour, hosted at the Crow Creek Tribal Hall, celebrated a decade of impactful initiatives, and explored avenues for further development in housing and economic sovereignty.
The Lender Symposium previewed Freddie Mac’s HeritageOne conventional loan product specifically designed for Native Americans and providing networking opportunity for direct service providers and Native CDFIs to meet and explore collaborations to enhance the availability of mortgage capital in Indigenous communities.
Upton shared, “The South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition’s (SDNHC) Annual Convening & Site Visit proved to be an extraordinary event, bringing together passionate individuals and organizations committed to improving housing opportunities and promoting economic sovereignty. Attendees departed with a renewed sense of purpose, inspired by the collective efforts and commitment to Native homeownership. The Native CDFI Network is dedicated to empowering indigenous communities and fostering positive change and strongly supports the efforts of the SDNHC.”