One of the best parts of attending conferences is catching up with clients and friends. On a trip last month to St. Paul, MN, for the National Congress of American Indian (NCAI) Mid Year Conference, I had the great privilege of speaking with Jeff Ackley, executive director of the Sokaogon Chippewa Housing Authority (SCHA).
Jeff is a busy guy! He has been very involved in the Sokaogon Chippewa Community for many years, as executive director with SCHA, serving in leadership roles for the tribe and currently serving as president of the school board for the School District of Crandon, WI. He took time out of his busy schedule to talk to me what #20YearsEquals to the Sokaogon Chippewa Community and why safe and affordable housing is so critical.
Here’s what he told me about the importance of homes.
“A home, for a family to grow up to raise their children and to give children a sense of pride, to stay happy and know that their needs are taken care of is one thing,” Jeff said. “That is the building block for everyday essentials of a high quality life.”
Jeff and his SCHA team have already successfully completed one Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) project, and they have two new projects that are on their way to closing with investors: a rehabilitation project called Sokaogon Supportive Residences and a 24-home new construction project, Sokaogon Chippewa #2.
Watch the video below to hear more about what #20YearsEquals to Jeff.