GPHI Partnership Helps Crow Creek Housing Authority Secure $4.4 Million for Community Housing
February 20, 2026
Affordable housing development in Indian Country advances when Tribal leadership has access, when needed, to culturally rooted technical partnerships and capital.
Recently, as a Native-led social enterprise, GPHI was honored to serve the Crow Creek Housing Authority (CCHA) in South Dakota, when the agency sought critical funding to increase the availability of affordable housing on the Crow Creek Indian Reservation.
Late last year, the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines awarded CCHA two Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grants, totaling $4.4 million. GPHI supported CCHA throughout the application process.
Capital with Purpose
The 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. All homes are or will be located in Fort Thompson on Tribal trust land and owned by Crow Creek Housing Authority.
The new homes will incorporate solar additions to improve long-term energy affordability and resilience. Rehabilitation efforts will bring existing units — some occupied, others long vacant — back into service.
For a community that has not seen new housing construction in more than 20 years, the investment represents meaningful progress — and hope — for people who have long endured disinvestment.
Meeting Critical Needs
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.
Like many Tribal housing providers, CCHA struggles to overcome aging housing stock, rising maintenance costs, and limited affordable housing options. Addressing these barriers can require guidance through what are often complex financing programs.
The GPHI-CCHA partnership began at a South Dakota Native Homeownership Coalition Annual Construction Summit, when CCHA Executive Director Joseph Shields shared his community’s affordable housing priorities and challenges. We saw an opportunity to support CCHA in bringing capital to its vision for change.
During the pre-planning stages, GPHI worked with CCHA to navigate the 2025 AHP application process. We focused on developing a clear project plan, strengthening the AHP application, and supporting a financing strategy that aligns with both immediate housing needs and long-term community goals
Mission-aligned Services
The services are grounded in our mission to increase housing opportunities for Native people through innovative and sustainable development and financing strategies.
GPHI offers tailored, on-the-ground guidance across planning, feasibility, and housing needs assessments, financing, development, and construction. This includes strengthening the capacity of Tribally Designated Housing Entities by equipping them with the skills, tools, capital, and internal systems needed to manage projects, comply with requirements, and complete development. GPHI’s assistance also supports contractor coordination and project oversight.
Our relationship with CCHA exemplifies what’s possible when Tribal leadership has the right technical support and partnerships to advance housing development for our people.
We are proud to support our communities as they build and strengthen local housing systems, rooting impact in community priorities, cultural context, and long-term sustainability.
“GPHI was vital in CCHA receiving the AHP grant. We were grateful for GPHI’s guidance and expertise and its team’s commitment to side-by-side collaboration, versus top-down input.” — Joseph Shields, Executive Director, Crow Creek Housing Reservation