Clallam County, with its five tribal communities (including the Hoh), has been tapped by Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI) to be the location for a pilot program aimed at Native Americans. As a result, Clallam County Habitat has a new staff position: Native American Housing Liaison.
Rick Dickinson, former director of the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship, was hired for the role. The position is funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Section 4.
The liaison is part of HFHI’s recognition of the need to better reach Native Americans seeking home ownership.
Historically, the engagement of Native American families with Habitat for Humanity home ownership programs has been very low. Fewer than 5% of Habitat homes nationwide have been purchased by Native Americans.
In an effort to engage more substantively with Native Americans, HFHI sought to create a pilot capacity-building initiative to better understand the housing needs and desires of Native American communities. The organization identified Clallam County as being uniquely positioned to host this effort.
Things learned from the pilot program will be shared across the HFHI network to help affiliates in other communities around the country that are rich in Native populations.
“We are delighted to be offered this opportunity by Habitat for Humanity International,” Habitat Clallam CEO Colleen Robinson said in a prepared statement. “This fits perfectly within our mission of serving all within Clallam County, and we are excited to lead the way for Habitat for Humanity nationwide.”
After a lengthy application process, Habitat Clallam received a capacity-building grant from HUD to fund the project, and hired Dickinson. In this new role, Dickinson is leveraging relationships that he has built within the tribal communities both at CIE and as a tribal enterprise board member.
The grant from Habitat for Humanity International allows Habitat Clallam to bring on the additional staff member without adding to its overhead, enabling the organization to expand its capacity and strengthen its impact in the community while remaining fiscally responsible.
“Our goal for this position is to build relationships within our local tribal communities in order to get a better understanding of how Habitat’s model of home ownership might better serve the needs of Native Americans both here in Clallam County and across the country,” Dickinson said. “My job is to listen, and I’m excited to build relationships with our local Native communities and deepen Habitat’s understanding of Native housing issues.”
