Last week, Marie Allen, Matthew Bland and I attended the 2017 National Reservation Economic Summit (RES) in Las Vegas. While Matthew may not be willing to admit it, his panel on Access to Capital was among the most well-attended sessions of the week. In that session, the New Markets Tax Credits (NMTC) program was discussed as an ideal gap financing method for many tribal economic development initiatives.
The highlight of the week for me personally was the opportunity to see many old friends and clients and to talk about housing and economic development projects in their pipeline. We talked about leveraging both the Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) program and the New Markets Tax Program (NMTC) to meet the housing and economic development needs in Indian Country.
I left motivated by important initiatives happening with the Pit River Tribe, Shakopee Mdewakanton, Leech Lake Band, Paskenta Band, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes, and the Navajo Nation — among many others.
I also appreciated the opportunity to learn more about American Indian/tribally-owned firms doing impressive work throughout the country. Some of these businesses included:
- Kautaq Construction Services
- Arrowhead Builders
- Tepa
- Tribal Government Institute
- S&K Technologies
- Akana
- Seven Generations Architecture and Engineering
- Dakota Western Corporation
While I prefer the sticky humidity of Kansas City compared to the “dry” heat of Las Vegas, it is always inspiring to see the ongoing efforts to strengthen tribal sovereignty, expand quality, affordable housing options, and increase economic opportunities throughout Indian Country.
I’m already looking forward to next year’s summit. Thank you, National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development, for hosting the event!