FHHA offers VA Supportive Housing through HUD-VASH grant
The kitchen area of one of the Fort Hall Housing Authority veteran rental homes.
By ROSELYNN YAZZIE
Sho-Ban News
FORT HALL — Fort Hall Housing Authority now has six veteran housing rental units available. There are five located on South Bannock Road and one on Hawthorne Road.
Administrative Manager, Taryn Shoyo, from the Fort Hall Housing Authority explained the homes were purchased from the VA Supportive Housing HUD-VASH grant, which was awarded last year in the amount of $133,320. Fort Hall Housing Authority was one of two new Tribal HUD Housing Authorities awarded this grant throughout the nation.
Units are available in one and two bedrooms; each with a bathroom, living room, kitchen and laundry hookups. Shoyo said they got a good deal on the homes and let the local vendors know they were going to be used for veterans.
Interested veterans need to fill out an application and meet an income criteria and a priority status, which is determined through Fort Hall Housing Authority and the Veterans Affairs Offices in either Salt Lake City or Boise. The housing rent will be subsidized, based upon the veteran’s income.
Eligible veterans may choose to rent the home, or may choose to transition to a home ownership home if they prefer. Those interested in homeownership may contact the FHHA office for more information on their Leased Homeownership Program.
Fort Hall Housing Authority staff Nicole Johnson tours a new FHHA veteran
rental home.
They also provide rental assistance to veterans in need through vouchers and they have nine available that can all be used off the reservation.
Shoyo said, “This program is opening up a lot of other opportunities for us to house our veterans and help our veterans and our community.”
She mentioned this project has been in the works for a while, with many coordinating to make it happen, including FHHA staff, accounting division, construction division and the Land Use Policy Commission to get the homes on tribal homesites.
The Housing Board also had a hand in pushing things through with grants and funding. Current Housing Board members are Chairwoman Miranda Dixey; Vice Chairman Dustin Davis and members Carlee Osborne and Chemille Fisher; they also have one vacant spot to fill.
Shoyo said they were fortunate to have a supportive housing board because they know what is being dealt with within the community and they see the lack of housing homesites, so they work together to figure out how more housing can be provided.
Fort Hall Housing Authority Administrative Manager Taryn Shoyo.
Fort Hall Business Council Sgt. at Arms and U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Roland Marshall, said it’s a great program and a good thing to be able to provide homes for our veterans that don’t currently have homes, are living in shelters, or are being put up by our staff.
“I know that it’s not just our veterans that are suffering with the housing issue, I know it’s our Tribes as a whole. I’m very grateful our staff is doing their part to work hand in hand to ensure that we’re able to provide these services to our tribal members.”
View of the bathroom in the home.
Marshall thanked everyone who took part in the effort to make it happen and hopes to see more projects like this to fill the need in the future.
For applications contact the FHHA office at 208-237-1174 ext. 15, Application Intake Specialist is Willeena George. Or contact Taryn Shoyo at 208-237-1174 ext. 11.
All application packets are also available outside of the offices due to COVID restrictions.
Outside view of a veteran rental home unit on South Bannock Road.
