The Tribal Council of the Saginaw Chippewa
Indian Tribe announced today that it is beginning
phased reorganization of the tribal housing
programming an effort to improve service and
accountability of the program to all tribal
members. In the first phase of the process,
the Tribal Council will assume the duties of
the Housing Authority Board of Commissioners.
In the second phase, after completing a financial
audit of the Housing Authority and arranging
for the transfer of the Authority�s assets and
liabilities, the functions of the Housing Authority
will be assumed by the new Tribal Housing Department
under the direction and control of the Tribal
Council.
Chief Phillip G. Peters, Sr. said, "meeting
the housing needs of all tribal members is a
top priority of the current Council. There are
still to many Tribal members with low and moderate
incomes who cannot afford to rent or buy adequate
housing in the Mt. Pleasant or Saganing areas.
Also, we want to focus on improving the management
and maintenance of tribally-owned housing".
Chief Peters added, "the Council is ultimately
responsible for addressing the housing needs
of all of the membership of the Tribe, and with
the reorganization the Council will be in a
better position to fulfill this responsibility.
After this reorganization all housing-related
functions will be in one tribal government department,
rather than scattered among the Housing Authority
and several Tribal Operations programs. Increased
tribal resources, new housing needs, and changes
in federal laws have convinced us that it is
time for a change.
"These changes", he added, "will result in
treating the housing programs with the same
as other tribal government programs-as a department
of Tribal Operations.
Chief Peters thanked the members of the Housing
Authority Board for their service and emphasized
that the staff of the Housing Authority will
be transferred to the new Tribal Housing Department
at the same grade and salary. He concluded,
"Our goal is to achieve a smooth transition
that builds on and improves the current program."
This action was taken in the best interest of
the Tribe, and will prove more responsive to
the needs of the tribal membership.