Crow Creek Housing Authority and Great Plains Housing Initiative Announce $7.4 Million Investment for Affordable Housing on Crow Creek Reservation
March 17, 2026Capital infusion from Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines’ Competitive Affordable Housing Program and Congressionally Directed Spending marks first significant housing investment on the Crow Creek Reservation in more than two decades.
Fort Thompson, South Dakota — 3/17/26 — The Crow Creek Housing Authority (CCHA) and the Great Plains Housing Initiative (GPHI), a Native-led subsidiary of the South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition (SDNHOC), today announced $7.4 million in new funding to expand and restore affordable housing on the Crow Creek Reservation.
The total includes $4.4 million in Competitive Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines and an additional $3 million in Congressionally Directed Spending secured to accelerate housing progress on Tribal trust land in Fort Thompson.
For a community that has not seen meaningful new housing development in more than two decades, the investment represents tremendous forward momentum.
The AHP awards include $1.5 million to construct 10 single-family modular rental homes and $2.9 million to rehabilitate 22 single-family and multifamily units, including many that have been vacant for years. Owned by CCHA, the new homes will incorporate solar additions to reduce long-term energy costs and improve resilience. Rehabilitation work will return aging units to safe, livable conditions and bring long-dormant housing back into service.
The additional $3 million in Congressional funding will strengthen CCHA’s broader housing strategy and support continued project implementation.
Partnership rooted in local vision
CCHA is the only provider of affordable housing on the Crow Creek Reservation, where a private housing market is practically non-existent and more than 80% of the population is low- or moderate-income.
The Crow Creek-GPHI partnership began during an SDNHOC construction summit, when Crow Creek leadership outlined their housing priorities and barriers. GPHI engaged alongside SDNHOC to identify practical next steps and funding pathways.
GPHI supported CCHA through the full AHP application process, conducting on-site property walk-throughs, digitally mapping and measuring existing structures, developing detailed scopes of work, assembling budgets and narratives, and coordinating the final submission to the Federal Home Loan Bank.
“GPHI was critical in our receiving the AHP grant,” said Joseph Shields, Executive Director, CCHA, which worked with Blue Water Grant Development on the proposal. “We valued GPHI’s side-by-side collaboration with our extraordinary grant writer and respect for our leadership and mission. The funding enables us to move projects forward that our community welcomes and needs.” The Congressional award followed sustained engagement and advocacy at the federal level led by SDNHOC, with GPHI providing technical framing and project detail to strengthen the request.
“GPHI stands shoulder to shoulder with Tribal housing leaders as they work through complicated financing systems,” said Desmond Bruguier, Executive Director of GPHI. “Crow Creek brought a strong, community-driven vision, which we helped shape into competitive applications that secured critical investment. The relationship exemplifies GPHI’s belief that Native communities must create their own futures and embodies our commitment to aligning capital and capacity to make it happen.”
Across Indian Country, Tribal housing providers face aging housing stock, limited capital, and complex federal requirements. GPHI’s service model strengthens local capacity while advancing projects from planning through implementation. Services include financing strategy, development oversight, contractor coordination, and project management support, all grounded in community priorities, cultural context, and long-term sustainability.
Crow Creek Housing Authority (CCHA)
In cooperation with Crow Creek Tribal Government and Crow Creek Tribal Agencies, CCHA’s mission is to develop, construct, and maintain safe, affordable housing for eligible Crow Creek members and to ensure that a “decent, safe, and sanitary housing environment” is created and perpetuated.
Great Plains Housing Initiative (GPHI)
GPHI is a Native-led social enterprise that aims to increase housing opportunities for Native people across the Great Plains through innovative and financially sustainable strategies. South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition founded GPHI in 2024 as its wholly owned subsidiary with seed funding from Wells Fargo’s Invest Native initiative. GPHI works to address housing demand, increase homeownership opportunities, and build the capacity of its clients. As a social enterprise, GPHI will support the Coalition’s long-term sustainability.
Media Contacts:
Desmond W. Bruguier
Executive Director, [email protected]
(516) 605-7136