Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians celebrate grand opening of affordable housing development

“This is changing my life,” she says, standing in the hallway of one of the units of the Kloshe Illahee Haws housing complex in Salem, Oregon. On Sept. 29, the 39-unit development began welcoming in families who are in need of affordable housing.

Vasquez — a Siletz tribal member and mother of three who’s taking care of her ailing brother — says she’s struggled for much of her life to make ends meet. She’s been evicted and homeless, and is living paycheck to paycheck.

“And so I finally found good employment and make enough money to survive,” she adds. Vasquez and two of her kids marveled at one of the unit’s spacious bedrooms and closet. “We’ve been in a two-bedroom townhouse for almost two years now, and it’s been a nightmare. We have no elbow room, so having this large space, the big open concept, I feel so blessed.”

Earlier that morning, several tribal and local officials gathered for an honor drum performance, prayer and remarks as roughly 50 people gathered under a large canopy. They then cut a ceremonial ribbon and left to tour some of the units that were built on 8.8 acres of trust land.

Among the speakers was Salem’s mayor, Julie Hoy, who said that Kloshe Illahee Haws means “good valley homes.”

“This mixed-use development is a milestone achievement,” Hoy said. “One bringing dozens of affordable housing units to our community. Housing is a foundation. When people have a safe and stable place that they can call home, they can focus on building their future.”

Tribal Chairperson Delores Pigsley told Buffalo’s Fire that the Salem area actually has the second largest population of Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians citizens. The largest is in the north coastal town of Siletz, which houses the tribal headquarters.

“It’s been home to our tribal members since time immemorial,” said Pigsley, who lives a mile away from Kloshe Illahee Haws. She explained that her family moved to this part of Oregon in 1944, with her parents working at the nearby Chemawa Indian School. “Many of our family are buried in the Chemawa Cemetery, and in 1960 we opened a tribal office here.”

While many Siletz citizens are literally native to this section of Oregon, some came here after Congress terminated the tribe’s federal status in 1954 as part of the Western Oregon Termination Act. The goal was to assimilate the Siletz.

“And we had many, many members who did that,” said Pigsley. “My brothers did it. They all went to school in Portland. Many of our members worked in the woods on the coast, and when they came here they worked in the mill and in canneries.”

Only in 1977 did the Siletz become federally reinstated, but by then many had dispersed into other communities and found livelihoods. But the tribe says housing became a recurring challenge.

“What we found was tribal folks experience homelessness four times greater than any of the non-Native population in Oregon,” said Sami Jo Difuntorum, executive director of housing for the CTSI. “That was pretty jarring.”

Difuntorum also serves on the Oregon Housing and Community Services Board and has tried to determine how best to fund developments like Kloshe Illahee Haws.

“The Indian Housing Block Grant, it just doesn’t go far enough,” she said. “It’s a great federal funding source, but there’s never enough.”

Difuntorum said this new mixed-income development cost $17 million, covered primarily by the block grant funded through the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996. “And then the tribe was the other major funding source,” she said. “They put in $8.5 million.”

Difuntorum said anyone is welcome to apply for housing at Kloshe Illahee Haws, though federal funding conditions require CTSI to prioritize the waiting list based on the applicant’s status as an enrolled member of a Native American tribe.

“Due to an overwhelming unmet need, as of today, all residents are enrolled members of the Siletz Tribe,” she said.

Tribal chairperson Pigsley said that it’s always been CTSI’s vision to take care of members in locations they have tribal offices, which include Portland, Salem and Eugene. The tribe has already built a 40-unit housing development in Portland, and now they’re hoping to do the same soon in Eugene.

“They’ve all been really tough areas to provide housing because we don’t own land there,” said Pigsley. “We have to buy the land, and it’s land that comes at a premium, and then we have to find the money to build the homes.”

For Vasquez and other families moving into Kloshe Illahee Haws, the development is exciting and provides many with long-needed stability. CTSI says 51% percent of the units are for households whose annual income falls below 80% of the national median, while the remainder have flat-rate rents for households that make above 80% of the median.

“They have a lot of really nice features,” said Difuntorum, “like tankless water heaters. It’s on demand, it’s energy efficient. People are going to be very comfortable here.”

Additionally, the officials spoke about all the units having garages and air conditioning, which they say is largely lacking in tribal housing.

“I’ve visited many tribes across the country, reservations, and none of them have a garage or an air conditioner,” said Pigsley. “Most of them have their cars parked outside.”

After the ribbon-cutting ceremony, people hurriedly moved from unit to unit, as rain fell steadily across Salem. But inside one of the units, nothing is dampening Vasquez’s mood. Tomorrow she will move her family into a four-bedroom home.

When asked what she expects to be the best part of living in the Kloshe Illahee Haws development, she says the affordability, garden and “being close to my people, a community that I have had before that I have been feeling really isolated from.”

“I finally have some real stability,” she adds. “And I’m just so excited.”