The Warm Springs Housing Authority is set to receive $5 million in federal funding to build new affordable housing for tribal members — part of a nearly $10 million package secured by Oregon's two U.S. senators for tribal housing across the state.
U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced the funding in September, with grants flowing to two Oregon tribal housing authorities through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Indian Housing Block Grant program. The Warm Springs Housing Authority and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians each received approximately $5 million from the combined $9.9 million award.
Addressing a Documented Housing Shortage
Housing has been a persistent challenge on the Warm Springs Reservation, where demand for safe, affordable homes consistently outpaces available supply. Tribal members can face long waiting lists for housing units, and overcrowding in existing homes has been a documented issue affecting family stability and community health.
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs has approximately 4,400 enrolled members, with a significant portion residing on or near the 640,000-acre reservation in Jefferson County. The reservation stretches across a sweeping landscape from the Cascade foothills to the high desert of the Deschutes River canyon — a geography that makes infrastructure and housing development more complex and costly than in urban settings.
"It's critical that Tribal families have affordable, safe places to live that will foster community and connect them to their land. This nearly $10 million in federal investment will make a real difference for tribal families in Oregon."
— Sen. Jeff Merkley
New Construction Planned
The Indian Housing Block Grant funding is designated for new residential construction. Specific project details — including how many units will be built and where on the reservation they will be sited — are expected to be finalized and announced by the Warm Springs Housing Authority as planning moves forward.
Federal Indian Housing Block Grants are among the primary mechanisms through which tribal communities fund housing development, given that reservation land held in trust cannot typically be used as collateral for conventional home loans — a structural barrier that has long limited private housing investment on tribal lands.
Part of a Broader Momentum
The housing investment comes alongside other positive economic developments for the Warm Springs community. Warm Springs Power and Water recently projected $12 million in community dividends for 2027, and tribal enterprises continue to support community services across the reservation.
For information on Warm Springs Housing Authority programs and waiting lists, contact the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs at 541-553-1161 or visit warmsprings-nsn.gov.