Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County is pleased to announce a new role at Habitat for Humanity of Clallam County, the Native American Housing Liaison. This position was initiated by Habitat for Humanity International (HFHI), in recognition of the need to better reach Native Americans seeking homeownership and funded through HUD Section 4.

Historically, the engagement of Native American families with Habitat for Humanity homeownership programs has been very low. Fewer than 5 percent of Habitat homes nationwide have been purchased by Native Americans.

Recognizing the need to better engage Native Americans, HFHI sought to create a pilot capacity-building initiative to better understand the housing needs and desires of Native American communities. They identified Clallam County, with five tribal communities (including the Hoh), as uniquely positioned to host this effort. The learnings from this 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,” said Habitat Clallam CEO Colleen Robinson. “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 the Department of Housing and Urban Development to fund the project, and hired Rick Dickinson, former Center Director for the Center for Inclusive Entrepreneurship.

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 an additional staff without adding to overhead, helping focus funding on the most important issue of all – providing affordable housing to those in need. This critical support enables capacity and strengthens 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 homeownership might better serve the needs of Native Americans both here in Clallam County and across the country,” said Dickinson. “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.”