Guest Opinion. All families deserve to live in safety and dignity, without fear of losing their homes. During the economic uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, some Cherokee homeowners fell behind on their mortgages or slipped into financial hardship in order to make payments. To help make sure Cherokee families can stay in their homes, the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation is expanding the tribe’s Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) program.
Qualified homeowners can apply for forgivable loans through the HAF. The loans are fully funded with federal dollars as part of the American Rescue Plan. They can be used to cover delinquent mortgage payments, past-due home insurance premiums, past-due property taxes or other debts that could displace homeowners if left unpaid. Once approved, funding goes directly to the mortgage loan servicer. The financial relief program is already helping Cherokees find more stability and security in their homes.
The pandemic has taken a toll on many of our fellow Cherokees, increasing their physical, mental and financial stress. But it has also been an opportunity for all of us to join in the spirit of Gadugi, working together for the greater good. We know this program will directly impact hundreds of Cherokee families, while strengthening our communities and making positive generational impacts for everyone.
Cherokees throughout our reservation and neighboring areas have access to the tribe’s HAF program. The Housing Authority will prioritize homeowners located in counties comprising the reservation, which encompasses all or parts of 14 northeast Oklahoma counties. It will then expand to Cherokees who own homes in an Oklahoma, Kansas or Arkansas county that borders the Cherokee Nation Reservation. Availability is also based on household income earnings.
Previously, this program was open only to people with mortgages through Cherokee Nation or the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation, but now we are opening it for all Cherokee mortgage holders who meet the eligibility guidelines. The expanded Homeowner Assistance Fund will be available as long as funds last, which our housing experts estimate to be through 2026.
For more information and a complete list of eligibility guidelines, visit www.hacn.org/HAF or call 918-456-5482.
For some families, finding affordable housing is a long-term struggle that’s been exacerbated by the pandemic. We know the need for stable and safe housing is high, and it is going to remain that way as the economy adjusts.
Deputy Chief Bryan Warner, the Council and my administration have made housing a high priority with the landmark Housing, Jobs and Sustainable Communities Act in 2019, which was renewed and expanded earlier this year. HJSCA brought more than $120 million to meet various housing needs for the Cherokee people, the largest housing investment in history. More than that, HJSCA embedded in Cherokee Nation law that housing is among the highest priority of the Cherokee Nation. Setting that tone is what spurred programs such as the Homeowners Assistance Fund and what will spur many more ideas in the future.
The HAF is just one of several programs offered by Cherokee Nation to meet our citizens’ housing needs. Others include the New Construction Homeownership Program to create a path to homeownership for Cherokee families, housing repairs for elders and Cherokees with disabilities who need help maintaining their homes, emergency rental assistance, and more. A full list of programs can be found at the Housing Authority of the Cherokee Nation website, https://www.hacn.org/.
Chuck Hoskin, Jr. is the principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.
More Stories Like This
Leading the Way in Rare Disease AdvocacyFor Native Communities, Medicaid Is a Promise Washington Must Keep
“One Beautiful Bill” Would Be a Tragic Setback for Indian Country
Federal Courts Left (Not) to Protect Sacred Sites
Joining the Call to Save Job Corps
Help us tell the stories that could save Native languages and food traditions
At a critical moment for Indian Country, Native News Online is embarking on our most ambitious reporting project yet: "Cultivating Culture," a three-year investigation into two forces shaping Native community survival—food sovereignty and language revitalization.
The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
Our dedicated reporting team will spend three years documenting these stories through on-the-ground reporting in 18 tribal communities, producing over 200 in-depth stories, 18 podcast episodes, and multimedia content that amplifies Indigenous voices. We'll show policymakers, funders, and allies how cultural restoration directly impacts physical and mental wellness while celebrating successful models of sovereignty and self-determination.
This isn't corporate media parachuting into Indian Country for a quick story. This is sustained, relationship-based journalism by Native reporters who understand these communities. It's "Warrior Journalism"—fearless reporting that serves the 5.5 million readers who depend on us for news that mainstream media often ignores.
We need your help right now. While we've secured partial funding, we're still $450,000 short of our three-year budget. Our immediate goal is $25,000 this month to keep this critical work moving forward—funding reporter salaries, travel to remote communities, photography, and the deep reporting these stories deserve.
Every dollar directly supports Indigenous journalists telling Indigenous stories. Whether it's $5 or $50, your contribution ensures these vital narratives of resilience, innovation, and hope don't disappear into silence.
The stakes couldn't be higher. Native languages are being lost at an alarming rate. Food insecurity plagues many tribal communities. But solutions are emerging, and these stories need to be told.
Support independent Native journalism. Fund the stories that matter.
Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher