Housing Authority Releases Statement
( Editor’s Note: Fort Peck Housing Authority issued the following statement.)
We, the nine members of the FPHA Board of Commissioners or BOC, are releasing a public statement to the members of the Fort Peck Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes.
We are aware that alleged photos of assistance under the Emergency Rental Assistance Program are being shared on Facebook and other social media. We want the public to know that this grant has not been audited. The audit for the ERAP has begun and there is no time line as to when it will be completed. The Housing Authority cannot verify that the screenshots are valid or accurate regarding persons who received assistance and what, if any, assistance they received. The main file which tracks ERAP expenditures is hundreds of pages long and a single screenshot is insufficient to provide context.
The Housing Authority would like to clarify that assistance under the program did not involve direct payments to tenants. Instead, payments were made on behalf of applicants for items such as utilities, internet and unpaid rent. If you have any questions as to any assistance you may have received, please contact Iva Zimmerman at the FPHA and turn in a written complaint. A scheduled meeting will then be set up to discuss and go over the assistance you received.
The Housing Authority remains committed to providing assistance and housing to those who need it most on the Fort Peck Reservation.
