Alaska Native Veterans in Metlakatla will soon be able to get a direct loan from the Department of Veterans Affairs for housing.
Ivonne Perez is a loan specialist for the V.A. She says the loans are meant to help improve Alaska Native Veterans’ lives.
“This is the very first one that we’re going to be signing in Alaska. We are hoping to have more tribal villages and housing authorities have interest and also offering this worthwhile program to their Native American Veterans,” says Perez.
Before the VA can make a loan to any Native American veteran, the individual’s tribe must first enter into an agreement with the VA and the home must be on federal trust land. If the property is not located on trust land, the veteran can use a different VA loan.
The Metlakatla agreement is the first in Alaska. There will be a signing of the Memorandum of Understanding, in Metlakatla on Monday, July 28 at 11am.
Charles Enoch is a reporter at KYUK in Bethel.
