Across California, Tribal communities face a critical shortage of affordable homes, and the pathway to development is too often complex and under-resourced.
In 2024, Enterprise launched the California Tribal Housing Accelerator Academy, a technical assistance program that equips Native development teams with the fundamentals, hands-on tools, and peer connections they need to bring housing to their communities.
Since the Academy's launch, 20 Tribes have completed the program's two cohorts and are now moving forward — securing funding and advancing predevelopment activities to support up to 231 affordable homes across California, from Hoopa Valley to San Ysabel.
Making Tribal Housing Possible
The academy was designed for a variety of Native groups across a range of experience levels, including federally recognized Tribes, California Heritage Commission list tribes, Tribally Designated Housing Entities, Tribal Housing Authorities, and Native-led nonprofits.
Funded by U.S. Bank with support from the Irvine Foundation, the academy paired technical assistance with training sessions and a peer cohort model. Each cohort kicked off with an in-person Affordable Housing Bootcamp for California Tribes, followed by three virtual sessions:
- Landscape of California Funding Resources
- Utilities and Infrastructure 101: Resources, Planning, and More
- Supportive Services Plan Deep Dive
Participants also received:
- A $3,000 participation grant to cover travel and dedicated staff time
- Twenty hours of free, one-on-one technical assistance, matched to each cohort member's project and conducted by providers with Tribal affordable housing experience
