The Muckleshoot Housing Authority provides housing and financial services to the community.
The Tribe manages 375 rental homes (including 18 Lifetime Estates) located within or near the Reservation. This program offers reasonable rent to Tribal member households based on family income.
In response to the COVID Pandemic, the Federal Government has appropriated funding to assist low-income households with past due rent, past due utilities, current rent, current utilities and other housing stability services.
Housing Stabilization Program is available to assist Tribal Members with securing rental opportunities with private landlords. This program specifically assists with the move-in fees including first month’s rent, security deposit, and last month’s rent if required at the time of move-in.
The Tribe offers Voucher assistance to eligible members. Participants receive a monthly rent subsidy paid directly to their landlord based on their household size and income.
Housing has a new program available to eligible Tribal Members to assist in obtaining rental opportunities in the private market. Due to high housing costs, some families do not meet the income requirements necessary to rent a place of their own. This program was developed to assist very low-income families by bridging the income and eligibility gap. Families approved for the program will receive a monthly subsidy to assist with rent to help reduce rent burden and house families.
The Tribe provides for the construction of stick-built homes for eligible elder, disabled and Veteran members with qualifying land situations.
The Tribe provides funding for the pay down or payoff of eligible elder, disabled, and Veteran members current mortgages in lieu of new construction. The maximum payoff is based on the average costs incurred to build new construction homes.
152 homeowners received assistance with obtaining and/or maintain Homeowners Insurance on their residence.
The Tribe provides $90,000 in assistance for Tribal members to purchase and maintain their homes. These funds can be used for down payment on a new home or to make cost effective home improvements and renovations.
The Tribe has a program to assist Tribal member homeowners with the removal of dangerous trees from their property. This assistance is paid directly to qualified third party vendors providing the removal service. This program assisted with 35 projects totaling $393,940.25 in assistance.
The Tribe has developed a new program to assist Tribal member homeowners with the costs of installing fencing at their homes to improve safety. For a limited time, homeowners who had paid for past fence installations were eligible for reimbursement, if Grant funds were used, these costs were refunded into the individual’s fund for future projects. There are no geographical limitations and fencing is now funded independently from the Grant Assistance.
Tribal member homeowners can now receive property tax relief. The Tribe will now pay homeowner property taxes making homeownership even more affordable to members. Muckleshoot Home Loan borrowers are automatically enrolled in this program. Members who already own their homes, or are with lenders outside of the Tribe can apply for this tax relief program. There are no geographical restrictions.
The Tribe continues to offer 1% interest home loans to qualified Tribal members within a 30-mile radius of the former Tribal hall chimney (39015 172nd Ave. S.E., Auburn, WA 98092). Loan amounts are based on the applicant’s financial status and funding is available for the following activities:
The IDA program is designed to build assets by saving towards a targeted amount to be used for home ownership, post-secondary education, transportation for employment, collection payoff, and pay down of existing auto loans.
Participants are required to open a savings account with an approved financial institution and make recurring monthly deposits for no less than six months. The funds are matched dollar for dollar up to a maximum of $5 to $1, depending on the guidelines of the specific program. Once participants have met their financial goal, funds are provided directly to the lending institution or creditor for purchase or down payment of the specific savings goal.
Muckleshoot Housing Authority’s Tribal Credit Program is designed to help Tribal members establish or repair their personal credit, consolidate and reduce existing debt balances, pay off debt balances with high interest rates, and purchase motor vehicles. The program aims to improve the social and economic status of the individual tribal members in the program. Loan types currently include:
Muckleshoot Housing Authority provides advice and counseling to tribal members who need assistance with new home purchases or loan refinancing. Housing continues to offer the Muckleshoot Money Skills for Life to the community. This full day education class touches on budgeting, credit, big ticket purchases, financial planning, investments, etc.
Housing also provides frequent Homebuyers Training and Understanding Your Credit Courses. Money Skills for Life has been offered for the past 10-years and served over 1,079 students and 1 dog.
The Tribe is actively working on bringing a supportive housing community to assist unsheltered Members with housing and other supportive services. This program will serve members who otherwise may not qualify for rental or homeownership due to behavioral or mental health needs.
The Tribe provided the following assistance in 2021 and 2022: