§4131 — Title 25 Indians | U.S. Code

Summary

Requires action to help create and keep safe, affordable housing for low-income Indian families on reservations and other Indian areas. It lists five goals: build, maintain, and operate affordable housing; improve tribes’ and members’ access to private mortgage markets and self-reliance; coordinate housing with federal, state, and local economic and community development; plan infrastructure alongside housing; and grow private capital markets in Indian country. Says most grant-funded housing help must go to low-income Indian families on reservations and Indian areas, but allows some exceptions. The Secretary can approve help for non‑low‑income families when there is no reasonable alternative and must limit how much of that help can be given. Tribes or housing entities may help non‑low‑income families if their presence is essential to the well‑being of Indian families. They may also house full‑time sworn law enforcement officers employed by federal, state, local, or tribal governments if their presence may deter crime. Tribal housing plans can give preference to members of the tribe (or other Indian families). Titles VI and VIII of the Civil Rights Act do not apply to actions by federally recognized tribes and their tribal housing entities under this law.

Title 25, §4131

Indians — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)The national objectives of this chapter are—

(1)to assist and promote affordable housing activities to develop, maintain, and operate affordable housing in safe and healthy environments on Indian reservations and in other Indian areas for occupancy by low-income Indian families;

(2)to ensure better access to private mortgage markets for Indian tribes and their members and to promote self-sufficiency of Indian tribes and their members;

(3)to coordinate activities to provide housing for Indian tribes and their members with Federal, State, and local activities to further economic and community development for Indian tribes and their members;

(4)to plan for and integrate infrastructure resources for Indian tribes with housing development for tribes; and

(5)to promote the development of private capital markets in Indian country and to allow such markets to operate and grow, thereby benefiting Indian communities.

(b)(1)Except as provided under paragraphs (2) and (4), and except with respect to loan guarantees under the demonstration program under subchapter VI, assistance under eligible housing activities under this chapter shall be limited to low-income Indian families on Indian reservations and other Indian areas.

(2)(A)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a recipient may provide housing or housing assistance through affordable housing activities for which a grant is provided under this chapter to any family that is not a low-income family, to the extent that the Secretary approves the activities due to a need for housing for those families that cannot reasonably be met without that assistance.

(B)The Secretary shall establish limits on the amount of assistance that may be provided under this chapter for activities for families who are not low-income families.

(3)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a recipient may provide housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts under this chapter for a family on an Indian reservation or other Indian area if the recipient determines that the presence of the family on the Indian reservation or other Indian area is essential to the well-being of Indian families and the need for housing for the family cannot reasonably be met without such assistance.

(4)A recipient may provide housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts under this chapter for a law enforcement officer on an Indian reservation or other Indian area, if—

(A)the officer—

(i)is employed on a full-time basis by the Federal Government or a State, county, or other unit of local government, or lawfully recognized tribal government; and

(ii)in implementing such full-time employment, is sworn to uphold, and make arrests for, violations of Federal, State, county, or tribal law; and

(B)the recipient determines that the presence of the law enforcement officer on the Indian reservation or other Indian area may deter crime.

(5)Notwithstanding paragraph (1), a recipient may provide housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts under this chapter to a law enforcement officer on the reservation or other Indian area, who is employed full-time by a Federal, State, county or tribal government, and in implementing such full-time employment is sworn to uphold, and make arrests for violations of Federal, State, county or tribal law, if the recipient determines that the presence of the law enforcement officer on the Indian reservation or other Indian area may deter crime.

(6)The Indian housing plan for an Indian tribe may require preference, for housing or housing assistance provided through affordable housing activities assisted with grant amounts provided under this chapter on behalf of such tribe, to be given (to the extent practicable) to Indian families who are members of such tribe, or to other Indian families. In any case in which the applicable Indian housing plan for an Indian tribe provides for preference under this paragraph, the recipient for the tribe shall ensure that housing activities that are assisted with grant amounts under this chapter for such tribe are subject to such preference.

(6)Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 [42 U.S.C. 2000d et seq.] and title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968 [42 U.S.C. 3601 et seq.] shall not apply to actions by federally recognized tribes and the tribally designated housing entities of those tribes under this chapter.

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 104–330, Oct. 26, 1996, 110 Stat. 4016, known as the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 4101 of this title and Tables. The Civil Rights Act of 1964, referred to in subsec. (b)(6), is Pub. L. 88–352, July 2, 1964, 78 Stat. 241, as amended. Title VI of the Act is classified generally to subchapter V (§ 2000d et seq.) of chapter 21 of Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 2000a of Title 42 and Tables. The Civil Rights Act of 1968, referred to in subsec. (b)(6), is Pub. L. 90–284, Apr. 11, 1968, 82 Stat. 73. Title VIII of the Act, known as the Fair Housing Act, is classified principally to subchapter I (§ 3601 et seq.) of chapter 45 of Title 42. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see

Short Title

note set out under section 3601 of Title 42 and Tables.

Amendments

2008—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 110–411, § 201(1), inserted “and except with respect to loan guarantees under the demonstration program under subchapter VI,” after “paragraphs (2) and (4),”. Subsec. (b)(2). Pub. L. 110–411, § 201(2), added subpar. (A), designated second sentence as subpar. (B) and inserted heading, and struck out former first sentence which read as follows: “A recipient may provide assistance for homeownership activities under section 4132(2) of this title, model activities under section 4132(6) of this title, or loan guarantee activities under subchapter VI of this chapter to Indian families who are not low-income families, to the extent that the Secretary approves the activities pursuant to such section or subchapter because there is a need for housing for such families that cannot reasonably be met without such assistance.” Subsec. (b)(3). Pub. L. 110–411, § 201(3), substituted “Essential” for “Non-Indian” in heading and “for a family” for “for a non-Indian family” in text. Subsec. (b)(4)(A)(i). Pub. L. 110–411, § 201(4), inserted “or other unit of local government,” after “county,”. 2000—Subsec. (b)(1). Pub. L. 106–568, § 1003(e)(1), substituted “paragraphs (2) and (4)” for “paragraph (2)”. Subsec. (b)(4). Pub. L. 106–568, § 1003(e)(3), added par. (4). Former par. (4) redesignated (5). Pub. L. 106–377, § 1(a)(1) [title II, § 210(2)], added par. (4). Former par. (4) redesignated (5). Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 106–568, § 1003(e)(2), redesignated par. (4) as (5). Former par. (5) redesignated (6). Pub. L. 106–377, § 1(a)(1) [title II, § 210(1)], redesignated par. (4) as (5). Former par. (5) redesignated (6). Subsec. (b)(6). Pub. L. 106–568, § 1003(e)(2), redesignated par. (5), relating to preference for tribal members and other Indian families, as (6). Pub. L. 106–377, § 1(a)(1) [title II, § 210(1)], redesignated par. (5), relating to exemption, as (6). 1998—Subsec. (b)(5). Pub. L. 105–276 substituted “federally recognized tribes and the tribally designated housing entities of those tribes” for “Indian tribes” and “chapter” for “subsection”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

Section effective Oct. 1, 1997, except as otherwise expressly provided, see section 107 of Pub. L. 104–330, set out as a note under section 4101 of this title.

§4131 National Objectives and Eligible Families

Summary

Title 25, §4131

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

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Amendments

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

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