The Chickasaw Nation is committed to providing quality housing for Chickasaws across the United States. As a testament to its dedication and commitment to citizens, the Chickasaw Nation Division of Housing and Tribal Development recently became the first tribal building department in the United States and the first building department in Oklahoma to receive accreditation from the International Accreditation Service. To achieve this prestigious accreditation, the department underwent rigorous assessments to verify that it operates under the highest ethical, legal and technical standards while providing enhanced life safety and property protection. The department was assessed across 13 distinct categories of accreditation criteria including customer service, code interpretation and enforcement, fiscal strength, technical expertise and compliance with the IAS Accreditation Criteria for Building Departments/Code Enforcement Agencies. The on-site teams also visited construction sites to appraise the performance of the department’s inspection process. The accreditation process enabled the department to improve procedures and become more effective in meeting already high standards.

One major component of the Chickasaw Nation Division of Housing and Tribal Development is the Chuka Chukmasi program. The program was established in 1998 and provides loans for the purchase or refinancing of a home. Through this program, which is a collaborative effort between the Chickasaw Nation, Fannie Mae and First Mortgage Company of Oklahoma City, more than 835 families across the United States have been able to purchase or refinance homes. In FY 2009, 146 home loans were provided to qualifying families. Closing cost and down payment assistance is also available through the program. One hundred twenty families received down payment and closing cost assistance throughout the year.

During FY 2009, the homeowners program also achieved much success. Thirty-four new homes were constructed under the program and 25 additional homes were under construction. Since the homeowner program’s inception, more than 2,600 new homes have been constructed for Native American families.

The division of housing and tribal development also manages commercial construction projects throughout the Chickasaw Nation. In FY 2009, the department assisted with 13 projects, including the McSwain Theatre, Chickasaw Cultural Center and Chickasaw Nation Child Development Center.

The geospatial information department also provides many services to the Chickasaw Nation. In addition to creating geographic data for all 13 counties within the tribal boundaries, the department also assists with several partnership projects. For example, program staff provided aerial photography of damage associated with the February 2009 Lone Grove tornado to assist with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) coverage.