By Micheal Rios, Tulalip News
In early March the See-Yaht-Sub published an article detailing to the tribal membership the plans and goals of the Tulalip Bay Workforce Housing Program that had been implemented in partnership between the Board of Directors and the Tulalip Housing and Construction department. Since its inception, there have been many opinions and questions raised both internally and externally about the practical application of a housing program of this magnitude, with its lofty, some say unrealistic, goals and expectations. We are long overdue for an update on this program’s status.
For those who are unfamiliar with the program, Tulalip Bay Workforce Housing was implemented in early 2014 as a three step process that would drastically change rural Tulalip, for the better. The first step of the process is taking back the land that has for far too long been accommodating to non-Tulalips. More specifically, the land within the 1.7 mile residential area around Tulalip Bay. Piggy-backing off the ideals that led to all the houses being demolished and removed from Mission Beach in 2013, all the non-Tulalip owned homes in the Tulalip Bay area were going to be removed in order to return the land to where it belongs, to Tulalip. As the land leases expire, one by one each non-Tulalip house would be demolished, either by the residing home owner or by the Tulalip Tribes for a fee.
The second step of the Tulalip Bay Workforce Program was to build first-rate homes complete with top of the line appliances, immaculate fenced yards, and the latest in residential housing technology (e.g. Brinks home security systems, intelligent automated thermostats). These would be beautiful homes, as evidenced by the first few that have been built already. Each featuring a multi-million dollar view overlooking stunning Tulalip Bay.
The second step also mandates that after the construction of the houses they will then be made available to Tulalip tribal members only, as either part of a home ownership program or as a rental. While most of the houses will be designated for home ownership, a fair share will be designated as rentals for those who are not in a position to buy a home. These newly built houses will become the homes of many Tulalip tribal members who would not otherwise have the opportunity to live on their reservation, and will help supplement the depleted housing market for our growing tribal membership.
The third and final step of the Tulalip Bay Work Force Housing Program involved the collaboration of both the Tulalip Housing department and the inherent responsibility of Tulalip tribal members. As the newly constructed homes near completion and are put on the market one by one, Tulalip tribal members, whether it’s for home ownership or to rent, must make themselves viable candidates in order to call a Tulalip Bay house their home. To have suitable, qualified Tulalip citizens and families stake their claim on the Tulalip Bay houses being built for them this means doing the necessities when it comes to preparing to buy or rent a new home on the Tulalip Reservation. Ways to be ready include meeting with a Housing department representative to discuss the qualifying considerations, and meeting with a 184 loan specialist and applying for a 184 loan if you want to become a Tulalip Bay home owner. The standard operating procedures currently in place are to protect both you and the Tribes’ interests.
Now, to address the present. There is growing concern amongst the tribal membership that none of these homes will sell, for various reasons. The most common reasons voiced were no Tulalip tribal members would be able to afford the houses, no one would choose to purchase a house that came with an attached monthly land lease, and no Tribal members would be approved for the 184 home loan. Opinions like these spread like wildfire through the community. Concern grew to the point that the Board of Directors put a sudden and abrupt halt to the program. The Housing and Construction department received a mandate to complete construction on existing houses under the workforce housing program before any new homes are to be built. Thereby putting the entire program on a pause to give ample time to finish homes already in the works and see what happens when they hit the housing market.
Under the new mandate, there will be a total of thirteen homes completed under the Tulalip Bay Workforce Housing Program; eight falling under home ownership and the remaining five to be rentals. The most common misconception about the houses for sale are that they have been available for months and they are not selling. That thinking is erroneous. Presently, there have been only a handful of houses to hit the home ownership market, plus a set of duplexes available for rent…and, wait for it, three of the houses have indeed been SOLD. Additionally, there are two other houses that have received 184 loan pre-approval letters from potential buyers who are just waiting for the paper work to be cleared. That would bring the total of Tulalip Bay workforce homes sold to five.
That is five Tulalip tribal families who were approved for 184 home loans, saw the investment to their families’ future and community, and are able to afford the costs that come along with purchasing a house on tribal lands. One of these newly minted Tulalip Bay homes has been purchased by a Tulalip tribal elder who has resided in Oregon as of late. This elder seized the opportunity to become a homeowner on his own reservation and move back to be a part of his traditional community. These are all things that it was said wouldn’t be able to happen. But it has happened and will continue to happen as Tulalip tribal members and their families break free of the poverty mindset that has a stranglehold on so many and begin to realize what they are capable of, both financially and socially.
As the construction of the remainder of the authorized Tulalip Bay workforce houses draws to completion, it will be interesting to see how, if any, the perception of this housing program changes. When the new Tulalip tribal home owners and renters have moved in to their houses, and the community is able to bear witness to the tangible, what will the opinions be then? It’s not easy to draw false conclusions when the evidence of the contrary is staring you directly in the face; Tulalip families owning and residing in the new Tulalip Bay homes.
For those interested in taking advantage of the Tulalip Bay Workforce Housing Program while it’s still available, don’t hesitate to contact the Tulalip Housing department to meet with a representative to discuss the qualifying considerations and tour the homes that will be hitting the housing market very soon. This includes the ‘Cedar House’ that will undoubtedly be the prize gem of the Tulalip Bay Workforce houses. The Cedar House should be completed and hit the market in 6-8 weeks, so get your 184 and housing applications in now.
Contact Micheal Rios, mrios@tulaliptribes-nsn.gov