Housing Ownership

On an Indian reservation, there are several types of housing arrangements and various responsibilities for repair and maintenance of properties. Scroll down to review the most common housing situations. Arrangement Responsibilities Individual Owns House, But Not Land An individual may own the house but not the land. In such situations, the land may be owned by the tribe or held in trust by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), and either the land cannot be deeded, or if a deed can be issued, it will not be a traditional deed of trust. Tribal Housing Authority Owns Housing Tribal Housing Authorities, through grants from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), build new homes that individuals can purchase from the Authorities. The Authority, considered the owner until final payment is made, is responsible for maintenance and repair. The Authority may be able to apply through Public Assistance for funds to repair uninsured housing owned by the Authority. BIA Owns Housing BIA funds housing on reservations. Unless ownership is conveyed to the individual, repairs and maintenance of the housing are the responsibility of BIA. Individual Is a Conventional Homeowner Conventional homeowners paid outright or through mortgage lending agencies for their homes. Individual Inherited Home Homeowners inherited the home, and the title may or may not have been transferred. Individual Rents Tribally Owned Housing Traditional renters pay a fee for living in the dwelling. Click on this link to learn more about housing assistance.