Legislation signed into law in 1996 is bringing about 25,000 housing units a year to Native Americans on their tribal lands. But as a group, their ownership rate is still less than half the national average.

Only about 30 percent of all Native Americans are home owners vs. more than 67 percent for the country as a whole. Almost all other minorities have a significantly higher ownership rate. Worse, the housing they do have is largely substandard.

The Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act is putting a dent in this rather dismal picture. But the law, which was considered a major advancement, is coming up for re-authorization this year, and the National American Indian Housing Council says more money is needed.

A non-profit organization representing tribal interests, the group is seeking funding of $1.1 billion for fiscal 2002.

"We see an immediate need for 210,000 units in Indian country," Chester Carl, the council's chairman as well as executive director of the Navajo Housing Authority, said at a press briefing recently.

"At the rate of 25,000 units a year, it will take nearly a decade to catch up to current demand," he said. We can't wait." To determine the law's effectiveness, the council surveyed all federally recognized tribes and found that they support NAHASDA by a 9-to-1 majority. But most also believe the law is too burdensome for them to carry out without better training.

Tex Hall, chairman of The Three Affiliated Tribes, told reporters his members need less regulation and more government-to-government consultation. "As sovereign governments, tribes are responsible for their own housing regulation," he said. "Unfortunately, the pendulum has swung too far toward federal regulation."

Another tribal representative, Robert Gauthier, executive director of the Salish and Kootenai Housing Authority, agreed. "Without question," he said, NAHASDA is the right vehicle to improve housing delivery in Indian Country. What we need is more training and technical assistance in knowing how to deal with HUD and HUD regulations."

Nevertheless, the council survey revealed that the law is, in the words of executive vice president, Christopher Boesen, "fundamentally sound."

Boesen said that re-authorization "should not be confused with other matters" and that lawmakers should "move quickly" while perhaps embarking on a "parallel track to make sure it is being implemented as they intended."