The section 184 loan guarantee program is designed for the American Indian and Alaska Native families, tribes, Alaska Villages or tribally designated housing entities. Congress established this program in 1992 to improve access to capital for Native Americans.
Before this the unique status of Indian lands caused this small but growing market to be underserved.
Since the inception of Section 184 home-ownership and housing rehabilitation opportunities for eligible Native American individuals, families, tribes and tribally designated housing entities (including Indian Housing Authorities) on their native lands and within an approved Indian area have improved significantly.
The reason PIH loans were needed is because much of the land in Indian Country is held in trust by the United States government for the benefit of a particular tribe or individual Native American.
Land held in trust for a tribe cannot be mortgaged, and land held in trust for an individual must receive approval from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), before a lien is placed on the property.
Without the ability to mortgage and foreclose on a home or place a lien on individual trust property, lenders were not willing to make home loans to individual Native Americans.
HUD guarantees each Section 184 mortgage loan made to eligible Native Americans. The loan guarantee made by HUD insures that the investment made by the lender will be repaid in the event of a foreclosure.
Who is eligible for a section 184 loan:
Section 184 requirements:
If any additional information or resources are needed call the Public of Indian Housing -
1-800-955-2232
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time(EST)
Monday through Friday