Native American tribes have been awarded $100 million as part of the U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Indian Community Development Block Grant Imminent Threat Program. The funding includes $900,000 to the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

HUD Secretary Ben Carson made the announcement Aug. 31. According to HUD, the funding “will be used to help tribes prevent, prepare for, and respond to COVID-19.”

“This $100 million investment will go a long way to help Native Americans persevere during this unprecedented time,” said R. Hunter Kurtz, assistant secretary for Public and Indian Housing.

The largest amount of funds for $3 million each are for the Cook Inlet Tribal Council in Alaska, the White Mountain Apache Housing Authority in Arizona and the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma.

The $100 million is provided through the CARES Act and earmarked to support several projects on tribal lands across the U.S. including:

• Construction of new rental housing to address overcrowding and homelessness;
• Construction of water infrastructure, including water wells and water lines;
• Purchase and renovation of an old clinic facility to facilitate access to testing, diagnosis, and treatment of Tribal members; and
• The provision of emergency food supplies to geographically isolated communities.

Click here to see the press release and list of funding distribution.