he White Earth Indian Reservation, located in northwestern Minnesota, is home to the Anishinaabeg people. Like many Indigenous communities across the United States, it faces a pressing and enduring housing crisis. The housing situation on the White Earth Reservation is emblematic of the broader issues facing Indigenous communities nationwide, including overcrowding, substandard housing, and housing instability.

2 bedroom tribal homes like this can sometimes house 20+ people.

The Housing Crisis: Key Challenges

• Overcrowding: Many homes on the White Earth Reservation are overcrowded, with multiple generations living under one roof. Overcrowding leads to health concerns, limited privacy, and strained family relationships.

• Substandard Housing: A significant portion of the housing stock is substandard, lacking basic amenities like clean water, electricity, and heating. Mold, plumbing issues, and structural problems are common, contributing to health and safety risks.

• Housing Instability: High housing turnover rates and a lack of affordable housing options contribute to housing instability. Families often move frequently, making it challenging for children to attend the same school consistently and establish stable routines.

To a certain extent, homelessness on the White Earth Reservation is characterized by overcrowding, rather than individuals living on the streets. Anishinaabe value systems impel families to care for one another under the same roof, regardless of whether there is ample space. The average household size on the reservation is between 6.7 and 9.2 persons, compared to a national average of 2.6 persons per household. The amount of people living in these houses exceeds what the houses are capable of, not to mention dangerous exposure to the physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual hazards for the people living in them.

Too often the existing tribal housing clusters have become sources of crime and violence. 

These facts illustrate that unless one’s basic human needs of stable/affordable housing and food security are met, it is nearly impossible for anyone to self-actualize and be a contributing member of society.