Cherokee Indian Housing Division

About Cherokee Indian Housing Division

For years, the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians (EBCI) operated two separate housing departments, the first being the Qualla Housing Authority (QHA), established in 1962. QHA was created to serve as a Tribally Designated Housing Entity (TDHE) to administer federal funds for low-income housing activities. In 2005, the second housing department, Housing and Community Development (HCD) was established. Unlike QHA, HCD operated exclusively on tribal funds, as opposed to federal funds. Also, unlike QHA, which as a TDHE, day-to-day operations were overseen by an Executive Director who reported to a Board of Commissioners (BOC), HCD was overseen by the Secretary of Housing who reported directly to the Principal Chief. After a slew of attempts to bring the two housing departments together under one roof, it finally happened on August 20, 2020 (Cherokee Code Ord. No. 158), effectively dissolving the TDHE, Qualla Housing Authority became Qualla Housing Services (QHS), and Housing & Community Development became Tribal Housing Services (THS), both departments of the new Cherokee Indian Housing Division. The dissolving of the TDHE meant the dissolving of the BOC, which is now known as the Housing Committee and serves as an advisory council with no authority over day-to-day operations. Chapter 44 – HOUSING | Code of Ordinances | Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Tribes and Tribal Nations | Municode Library

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