Amanda Jordan Table #7 Federal Bureaucracy Essay #2 November 23, 2015 The U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs has a mission to “enhance the quality of life, to promote economic opportunity, and to carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust asses of American Indians, Indian tribes, and Alaska Natives” (Indian Affairs). Providing services and funds to 566 federally recognized tribes is the U.S. Department of the Interior Indian Affairs’ main purpose. Indian affairs was established in 1824 and is known as the oldest bureau of the United States Department of the Interior. Their main focus is to provide different services to the 1.9 million American Indians in the United States currently. Through these Indian Affairs, …show more content…
The first, is interim improvements, which provides up $2,500 in housing repairs for things that put the homeowners and residents of the house in danger. The second, repairs and renovations, HIP provides up to $35,000 for repairs and renovations so that the homeowner can reach their goal of getting up to the standard building code regulations. The third, replacement housing, HIP will actually grant an American Indian or Alaska Indian with a new home. In order for this to happen their old home must not meet the standard building regulations and their renovations cannot exceed $35,000. The last, new housing, which HIP will grant you a new home if you do not have one. This last step rarely happens, but if HIP feels that you are in need of this, then they will make it happen for …show more content…
There are two current public policy problems that the U.S. Department of Interior Indian Affairs are attempting to solve today. One of those problems is to end homelessness in Tribal Communities. Indian Affairs is attempting to improve their program HIP, which is mentioned above. They would like to increase housing in the tribal communities and overall support their Indian families. This problem was solved by increasing funding to HIP so that they may be able to provide more repairs and renovations to the American Indians. They addressed four key areas that they would like to see improved. The first, just improving the overall housing for American Indians. The second, to improve the data collection that records American Indian and Alaska Native homelessness, they don’t believe that it is as accurate as it is portrayed. The third, to ensure that there are strategies that work to help the American Indians and Alaska Natives homelessness, which includes meeting with tribal leaders and experts. The fourth, to make more awareness of the problem of homelessness for the American Indians and Alaska