Hearing Of The House Committee On Natural Resources- H.R. 2523, Helping Expedite And Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act

Statement

Hearing Of The House Committee On Natural Resources- H.R. 2523, Helping Expedite And Advance Responsible Tribal Homeownership Act

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you to all the witnesses here this morning.

"I introduced the HEARTH Act after meeting with several housing directors from New Mexico's pueblos where I learned about the onerous process for securing a long-term lease on trust land. We all know how important homeownership is to healthy communities, and the last thing the federal government should do is stand in the way of families ready and willing to buy a house.

"Native families buying a house go through the same process as anyone else: they find a house they like, work with their bank to gain approval for a mortgage, and make an offer to the seller. But before these families can close on the sale, they need approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs to lease the land the house is built on. That approval can take between six months and two years--an intolerable delay for most buyers. A seller is rarely able to wait two years to sell their house, and banks are often unable to hold a mortgage approval for that long.

"I know there are many families who would prefer to stay and raise their children in the communities where their families have lived for generations--but instead have moved to nearby cities because they want to own a home. While we're happy to welcome them to the great city of Albuquerque, families shouldn't be forced to make such an important decision based on how many months or years it will take a federal bureaucracy to approve a mortgage on tribal land.

"Many tribes already have a lease approval process through their tribal government that approves land leases before they're sent to BIA. For those tribes that want the authority and responsibility for making final leasing decisions at the tribal level, the HEARTH Act would give them the option of doing so.

"Our nation is home to a vast diversity of tribes, and federal policy should reflect that diversity. The HEARTH Act will allow tribes to exercise greater control over their lands and eliminate bureaucratic delays that stand in the way of homeownership in tribal communities.

"Thank you again, Mr. Chairman, for holding this hearing, and I yield back my time."

Source