DIFRC | Denver Indian Family Resource Center

Native American Housing Circle

Sign up to be a part of NAHC’s work, learn more, stay in touch, or learn about the Housing Needs Assessment findings.

The Native American Housing Circle (NAHC) was formed in 2019 as a community response to the overrepresentation of Native Americans experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the Denver Metro area. Since 2019, NAHC has been working as a community coalition of Native-led and Native-serving community organizations, community members, and allies who advocate and create affordable housing opportunities and direct services for Native American people experiencing homelessness and housing instability in the Denver Metro area. 

NAHC meets virtually each month on the third Wednesday of the month from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. Mountain.  

Vision, Mission, Values

NAHC Outreach

NAHC is an open membership group in which grassroots community members, advocates, nonprofit organizations, and government partners come together to improve housing for the Native American community in the Greater Denver Metro area. 

NAHC collectively works to be a community-driven coalition, meaning everyone who takes part in the work gets to take part in decision making. This ensures that all voices are heard equally and that anyone in our community who contributes can take ownership of the coalition and our work. Together we ensure that the NAHC is able to fulfill our mission when all of members move a shared purpose forward, for the betterment of our community, 

Vision Statement: To be a strong Native-led voice for culturally responsive housing to  support stability and healing.

Mission Statement: To advocate for and create affordable housing  opportunities and direct services for Native American people experiencing homelessness and  housing instability in the Denver Metro area.

Values
Native-Centric Approach: Led by the Native values of respect, compassion, and generosity
Collaborative: Creating and leveraging culturally responsive partnerships and resources.
Community driven: Responsive to identified needs.
Innovation: Focused on transformational approaches and outcomes.
Equality: Striving to achieve economic and racial justice.

Membership: The levels of a NAHC membership include:

  1. General membership
    • a) Support the work of NAHC, help build public support
    • b) Attend Monthly Meetings
    • c) NAHC orientation required 
    • d) Open to all with interest
  2. Work group member; General membership, plus these additional commitments:
    • a) A part of NAHC decision-making 
    • b) Advances the work of NAHC and can make work recommendations to NAHC 
    • c) Open to all with an interest
  3. Steering Committee
    • a) Guides, leads, and oversees work of NAHC–ensures work is in alignment with NAHC  vision and mission 
    • b) Co-chairs of working groups

Current Members Include: 

Working Groups and Charter Statements:

Working groups allow coalition members to engage in focused work to develop and maintain the foundation and structure of NAHC. Our current working groups are: 

Community Connectors Working Group builds relationships with the Native community, institutional partners, and service providers in the Denver Metro area through outreach, policy advocacy, and direct service that is community-led and defined, especially by those with lived experience of homelessness and housing insecurity. We recognize that our peoples are the original stewards of these lands, and it’s our mission to strengthen our relationship to the land while promoting the physical and spiritual wellness of our relatives in the Denver Metro Native community. 

Infrastructure Working Group builds and maintains the foundation of NAHC as a coalition while also forming a non-profit organization that is sustainable and ensures the work is designed for the future of our community. Our working group is accountable to the community, to NAHC, and to each other.

Research and Relationship Collective builds bridges among NAHC members, the Native community, and allies through effective research, communications and genuine relationship building. In building bridges, RR also aligns all NAHC members priorities in NAHC work. 

Planning Documents

Current 2021 Project: Housing Needs Assessment

Native American Housing Circle recognizes that many large institutional sources of data and research under-represent Native communities and residents. So, NAHC is currently conducting a Housing Needs Assessment to examine the housing needs of Native residents of the Denver Metro Area including Denver, Jefferson, Arapahoe, Adams, Boulder, Broomfield, and Douglas counties. Information from the study will be used to plan for housing programs and services, new affordable housing developments, and services for Native community members experiencing homelessness in the Metro Denver area.

NAHC secured grant funding from Enterprise Community Partners and Colorado Housing Finance Authority to conduct the assessment and is working with lead partner Amaktoolik Studios (a Denver-based, Native-owned company), Project Moxie, and Bowen National Research. 

Ongoing Projects: Quarterly Street Outreach

Members of NAHC reach out to unhoused relatives each quarter to provide critical resources and support. If you’d like to donate personal, hygiene or food items, please email Lucille at lechohawk@difrc.org. Volunteers are also welcome to help sort and package donations and deliver to relatives living in the community.

Community Resources for Those in Need

Rental and Mortgage Assistance

Emergency Assistance

Backpacks filled with warm winter gear

Community Resource Directories

Nonprofits that Provide Assistance in Finding Rentals

Mental Health Resources

Domestic Violence Resources