WARM SPRINGS — The Warm Springs Housing Authority has been awarded $5 million in federal funding to construct new affordable housing for tribal members on the Warm Springs Reservation, part of a $9.9 million package announced by Oregon's two U.S. senators in September.
U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley and Ron Wyden announced that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is directing $9,917,680 in Indian Housing Block Grant funds to two Oregon tribal housing authorities. The Warm Springs Housing Authority and the Cow Creek Band of Umpqua Tribe of Indians will each receive roughly $5 million to support new residential construction projects for their communities.
A Long-Standing Need
Affordable housing has been a persistent challenge across the Warm Springs Reservation for decades. Like many rural tribal communities in the West, Warm Springs faces housing shortages, aging residential stock, and limited access to conventional mortgage financing on trust land — conditions that make federal Indian Housing Block Grant dollars especially critical.
The HUD Indian Housing Block Grant program, authorized under the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act (NAHASDA), is designed to give tribal governments and housing authorities the flexibility to address their communities' specific needs. Funds can be used for new construction, infrastructure, and related community development services.
Significance for Jefferson County
The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs — comprising the Warm Springs, Wasco, and Northern Paiute peoples — is home to approximately 4,000 enrolled members, with roughly 3,300 living on the reservation in Jefferson County. The reservation spans more than 1,000 square miles and is among the largest tribal land bases in the Pacific Northwest.
New residential construction on the reservation supports local employment and the tribal economy. Housing stability also has downstream effects across the broader county, including school enrollment stability, workforce availability, and access to healthcare services.
What Happens Next
The Warm Springs Housing Authority is expected to develop construction timelines and project plans for the grant funds in the coming months. No specific locations or unit counts have been publicly announced, though housing officials have previously identified the Agency area, Sidwalter Flats, and Simnasho as communities with the most acute residential demand.
Tribal members interested in housing programs or waitlist information can contact the Warm Springs Housing Authority at (541) 553-3250.