Will Urban and Unrecognized Indians Benefit From Federal Land Transfers?

Tribal and Rural and "forgotten" rural communities may soon get housing on federal lands for housing from joint effort by HUD and the Department of the Interior. These two federal departments are the most  connected to Black-Native Americans and American Indians. HUD (Housing and Urban Development) contains the department of Public and Indian Housing, and the Interior Department includes the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA).

In their Wall Street Journal Op-Ed, Secretaries Turner and Burgum concluded the announcement this way:

Overlooked rural and tribal communities will be a focus of this joint agreement. We are going to invest in America’s many forgotten communities. As we enter the Golden Age promised by President Trump, this partnership will change how we use public resources. A brighter future, with more affordable housing, is on its way.

‍Unused federal land may soon become affordable housing, based on joint statements from the Secretaries of HUD and the Interior.

Will unrecognized, urban and misclassified American Indians be able to take advantage of this program?

Can the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968, passed during the riots following the Dr. Martin L. King assassination, be invoked to ensure the forgotten (Black)American Indian community benefit from this land transfer?

(You can reach the HUD Secretary at @Secretary Turner on X, Facebook and Instagram to provide feedback, and also at HUD.gov)

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"ICYMI-Secretary Burgum, HUD Secretary Turner Announce Joint Task Force to Reduce Housing Costs and Open Access to Underdeveloped Federal Lands Suitable for Residential Development," DOI.gov, March 17, 2025.

"HUD Secretary Scott Turner and DOI Secretary Doug Burgum Announce Joint Task Force to Use Federal Lands for Affordable Housing," HUD.gov, March 17, 2025.

Scott Turner and Doug Burgum, "Federal Land Can Be Home Sweet Home," Wall Street Journal, WSJ.com, March 16, 2025.