Housing in tribal communities across the country has led to numerous social problems, including those in Wyoming. On the Wind River Reservation, it has led to a severe housing shortage with overcrowding in the homes that are available and to homelessness in the community. Housing stock has grown old and is falling into disrepair and about 600 new housing units are needed to fill the need.
The organization Legal Aid has assembled a panel to discuss the problem. Gabe Rody-Ramizani helped organized the event.
“While both tribes get federal funding for improving housing conditions every year, we’ve heard it’s quite insufficient. At the very least there’s many homeless and near homeless families on the reservation,” he said.
“Basically what they’re hoping for is to facilitate the dialogue between those working to improve the housing conditions on the reservation and the public that’s been affected by these housing conditions,” he added.
Northern Arapaho Housing Director Patrick Goggles and Eastern Shoshone Housing Director Charles Washakie will speak and take questions, along with Scott Hoversland with the Wyoming Community Development Authority, Charles Aragon a former homelessness advocate and current patient advocate with SageWest HealthCare, and Sarah Lucas with Nations Ministries.
The event is taking place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 12 in the Blue Sky Room at the Wind River Casino. It’s free and food will be served.
Northern Arapaho Housing Director Patrick Goggles and Eastern Shoshone Housing Director Charles Washakie will speak and take questions, along with Scott Hoversland with the Wyoming Community Development Authority, Charles Aragon a former homelessness advocate and current patient advocate with SageWest HealthCare, and Sarah Lucas with Nations Ministries.
The event is taking place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, February 12 in the Blue Sky Room at the Wind River Casino. It’s free and food will be served.
Have a question about this story? Contact the reporter, Melodie Edwards, at medward9@uwyo.edu.