Federal tax credit program offers rare path to Native homeownership
A federal Housing Tax Credit lets residents buy after 15 years, with hundreds of homes across Native nations now eligible for transfer
The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program has become a rare path to homeownership for Native nations, where trust land and lending barriers have long limited access to mortgages, according to Underscore Native News and ICT. The Washington State Housing Finance Commission said 17 of 25 eligible eventual tenant ownership homes at Spokane Tribal housing are in the process of being transferred, while 352 more homes across seven Native nations were eligible for ownership as of 2026.
The program allows residents to purchase homes after a 15-year compliance period. Advocates told Underscore Native News and ICT that the option helps preserve affordable housing and build generational wealth in Native communities.
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