At last week’s Suquamish Community Advisory Council meeting, the tribe’s community development director Scott Crowell gave a presentation on the resources available for tribal housing.

He first went over Tiny Shelters, which are warm and safe places for tribal members who may be experiencing homelessness or life difficulties. The shelters include electricity, heat and access to campground bathroom facilities.

There are also Fern Studios, tiny homes consisting of a small kitchen, bathroom, closet and open loft area. They are ideal for one or two people. Two of the six homes include two bunk beds making them suitable for a parent or couple with small children.

Currently in progress is Little Hill, a buildable lot infrastructure development. The property consists of 12¼ acre buildable lots for qualified tribal members to construct single-family homes. Each lot will be a land lease, and tribal members will be required to get pre-approved for a loan.

Another project soon to start is the Suquamish Shores Townhomes, which consists of about 20 units. Each unit will be a two-story design with two or three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The project is set to start in June with construction expected to be completed by December of 2024.

For tribal members, there are also programs available for Down Payment Assistance and Homeowner Maintenance Assistance. For down payment, tribal members are eligible for one refinance after 15 years. The homeowner program is for tribal members to keep their home up to code and allows access to additional funding every 10 years.