About the White Mountain Apache

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

The White Mountain Apache Community Development Corporation (CDC) was organized in 1981, and chartered under the laws of the White Mountain Apache Tribe, as a non-profit charitable corporation pursuant to Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It has been in existence for over 18 years and operates with its own Board of Directors, independent of the Tribe. The Board of Directors of the CDC are appointed by the Tribal Council, however, CDC receives no funding from the Tribe. Its purpose is to serve the comprehensive community development needs of the White Mountain Apache Reservation as spelled out in its Articles of Incorporation, some of which are as follows:  

* Foster relief of the poor through education, health, nutrition and job training programs.  

* Erect and maintain public buildings for the general benefit of the White Mountain Apaches.  

* Provide safe, decent and affordable housing for members of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.  

* Lesson neighborhood tensions and combat community deterioration and juvenile delinquency through youth programs, programs for the elderly and programs for family relief.       

Through its non-profit status, CDC received donations from leaseholders at Hawley Lake when their leases expired. There were approximately 275 homesite leases at Hawley Lake on a 25 year lease. These leases began to expire in 1982 and the last remaining lease expired in September 2001. Upon expiration of the lease, the homeowner was given the options of either moving the cabin to another site off the reservation, abandoning the cabin or donating it to CDC for a tax deduction. Several of the cabins were seriously damaged by disgruntled homeowners and abandoned upon expiration of the lease , some were moved and some were donated to CDC. In 1991, after receiving approximately 10 cabins, CDC had no operating funds so it borrowed $25,000 from the Tribe*s revolving credit program to begin renting some of the cabins. The funds received from this loan allowed CDC to replace some of the badly worn furniture and do some repairs to the cabins. At first, CDC contracted with a travel agency to take reservations and provide housekeeping service. In 1993 CDC took over the reservation service and hired housekeepers and maintenance. Today, CDC is totally self-sufficient and has 68 rental cabins at Hawley Lake. The homes at Hawley Lake are over 25 years old, some of which have never been completed or are in need of major repair, renovation or demolition. CDC is committed to improving and maintaining these structures, not only for rental income but for the overall aesthetics of the Reservation. The majority of the profits from the rental income are used for improvements, furnishings, salaries, equipment and vehicles to maintain and improve the property. It costs approximately $5,000 to $20,000 to make a donated cabin suitable for rental, plus the cost of furniture, appliances and household supplies, and linens. 

Although it is not CDC*s main function to operate a cabin rental area, the profits gained from cabin rentals not only help to improve the Hawley Lake Area, they also enable CDC to provide employment and make in-kind contributions for grants and affordable housing to reservation residents.  

CDC is engaged in a comprehensive development program with a long-term goal of improving the economic and social quality of life on the White Mountain Apache Reservation. The mission of CDC, has expanded to include the development of low income housing projects, the management of residential housing rentals, and business development activities, including property management. These operations have created both full-time and seasonal employment and training.  

In recent years, CDC has focused mainly on the issue of addressing the chronic housing shortage on the Reservation. In 1997 the CDC developed the McNary Housing Project consisting of 20 newly constructed single-family rent to own homes for low income families at a total project cost of $1.5 million. The houses were placed in service in December, 1998.  

Last year, CDC applied for and received federal low income housing tax credit, which along with investment funds, HOME Funds and a Rural Development Loan constructed a two million dollar 22 unit townhouse project in Whiteriver, providing rent subsidized housing for low income families. The project was placed in service in January 2002.  

This year, CDC again applied for federal low income housing tax credit, which along with investment funds, HOME Funds and a Rural Development Loan is expected to build another 22 unit townhome project in Cibecue, Arizona. The project is expected to begin in October 2002.  

CDC applied for and received a grant from the Department of Health and Human Services ACF for a woodworking and custom cabinetry program. With the participation of Northland Pioneer College, the Tribal Skill Center, and other tribal programs, this project will provide hands-on training and career opportunities to several unskilled and unemployed persons. This program is extremely important due to the number of displaced workers as a result of the Rodeo-Chedeski Fire.  

In conclusion, CDC is committed to the long term goal of creating housing, employment, training, community services and education for the White Mountain Apache Tribe.