WINDOW ROCK — Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren signed and approved Resolution No. RDCJY-16-26, approving the Navajo Housing Authority’s (NHA) Fiscal Year 2027 Indian Housing Plan and authorizing an estimated $130.6 million in federal Indian Housing Block Grant funding to support housing operations, maintenance, construction, rehabilitation, and infrastructure development across the Navajo Nation.
The FY 2027 Indian Housing Plan serves as NHA’s annual strategy for administering federal housing funds and establishes priorities to address housing needs across Navajo communities.
“We are making real progress in housing, and this plan gives us another opportunity to elevate that work and continue building on what we have accomplished,” President Nygren said. “Over the past three years, we have worked to support more than 1,000 homes for Navajo families. Our goal is to create more opportunities for families to have safe, quality homes while making the investments in infrastructure that allow us to build even more across the Navajo Nation.”
The plan allocates approximately $23.99 million for planning and administration, $54.46 million for the operation, maintenance, and modernization of existing housing units, and $52.13 million to address housing needs throughout the Navajo Nation.
The housing needs allocation will support new public rental housing and homeownership opportunities, rehabilitation of existing homes, housing infrastructure, accessibility improvements for individuals with disabilities, housing services, crime prevention initiatives, and rental assistance programs. These investments are intended to address overcrowding, expand affordable housing options, and provide greater support for low-income Navajo families.
During a meeting with President Nygren, NHA Chief Administrative Officer Terrilynn Cook, Grants Manager Nellie Gilmore, and Chief Operations Officer Ernest Franklin provided an overview of the Indian Housing Plan, its annual federal allocation process, and NHA’s housing priorities.
NHA leadership discussed efforts to address existing housing conditions through annual inspections and applications from families while continuing to invest in housing assistance, maintenance, and new residential development. They also emphasized the importance of infrastructure development, including sewer, water, and electrical systems, to support future housing projects and open more opportunities for residential construction.
Updates were also provided on ongoing projects, including the construction of new housing units in Chinle and Navajo and efforts to relocate families from older housing units with hazardous conditions. NHA is also working to expand housing development in other areas, including preliminary coordination with the Indian Health Service on infrastructure needs.
NHA leadership also discussed the implementation of an Enterprise Resource Planning system designed to modernize and automate internal operations. The system aims to reduce paper-based processes, integrate departments, strengthen data management, and improve the tracking of housing projects.
“This is about continuing the momentum we have created and making sure we are positioning the Navajo Nation for even greater progress,” President Nygren said. “When we strengthen our partnerships, improve our processes and invest in the infrastructure needed for development, we create more opportunities to put homes on the ground and provide our families with the housing they deserve.”
President Nygren thanked Cook, Gilmore, Franklin, and the entire NHA team for their continued work and encouraged continued collaboration to expand housing opportunities throughout the Navajo Nation.
