Homes on their way to reservation

By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer | Wednesday, November 24, 2004

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Four American Indian families will celebrate the holidays in new homes on Rosebud Indian Reservation.

On Nov. 22, in a coordinated effort between Ellsworth Air Force Base and Walking Shield American Indian Society, four excess military housing units were transported from Ellsworth Air Force Base to Rosebud Indian Reservation.

Depending on weather conditions, the houses may get to the reservation today, according to Amos Prue, chief executive officer at Sincangu Wicoti Awanyankape Corporation, Rosebud's housing authority.

"They were supposed to be here today, but they're caught in a snowstorm somewhere," Prue said. "They can't move the houses at night."

Karen Hoffman, assistant realty officer at Ellworth Air Force Base, said the base was contacted in mid-October about sending houses to Rosebud.

"This is the first time excess houses have been donated to a reservation by Ellsworth," Hoffman said.

She said the three-bedroom homes, built in 1961, were well-maintained and offered more than 1,000 square feet of living space.

"Walking Shield provided the transportation, foundations and set up the utilities," Hoffman said. "The families should be moved in by Dec. 15."

According to a news release, the housing project is part of Project Care that was created by Walking Shield American Indian Society to help provide decent, safe and sanitary housing on reservations.

SWA Corporation has received about 120 houses from Walking Shield in the past. With more than 21,000 people living on the reservation home, half of them are younger than age 21, housing is limited with a wait of two to three years before applications are considered.

For rental housing, 500 applicants are waiting for 50 homes that are being repaired, and 129 applicants are seeking homeownership on three houses. And 250 applicants are waiting for private home assistance for repairs and rehabilitation of their own homes.

"Just going off of our waiting list, this isn't everyone who needs housing," Prue said.

The new homes will be delivered to the families of Norman and Wayne Black Spotted Horse, Frantz Joe Stone, Alfred Bone Shirt and Earl Siers.

"It helps, but it's never enough," Prue said.

For Alfred Bone Shirt's family, it's an opportunity to breathe a little easier.

Bone Shirt, 50, who lives five miles west of St. Francis, said construction crews dug the foundation of his new home to prepare for the house to be set up soon.

He said construction workers had told him it would take anywhere from two weeks to 30 days to get the house ready for the six-member family.

"I have to commend President Charlie Colombe for doing his job," Bone Shirt said, "not only to thank him in allowing us a house not only to my family but these other families as well."

Seven years ago, the Bone Shirt family moved into a reconditioned 1974-model trailer home. Within a year, black mold began spreading across the family's bathroom floor, walls and window.

"The carpets were taken out and the floors, walls and sinks had mold growing on them," Bone Shirt said.

Moisture fed the mold and rotted the floors in the kitchen, living room and bathroom. When a group of volunteers arrived to help the Bone Shirts, the project's carpenter fell through the floor.

Bone Shirt, his wife, Duana, and their grandchildren have suffered respiratory problems. It is a situation that Bone Shirt has lived with because he knows many Rosebud families have worse conditions.

"When you're homeless or basically reduced to living in cluster housing, you accept anything they offer," he said.

Contact Jomay Steen at 394-8418 or jomay.steen@rapidcityjournal.com