For decades, tribal communities have been excluded from state-administered housing programs. Over time, this has contributed to disparities in access to safe, affordable housing among tribal communities in California. To improve communication and consideration of the needs of California Native American Tribesribes, Governor Edmund “Jerry” Brown issued Executive Order (EO) B-10-11 in 2011. This order established the Governor's Office of the Tribal Advisor and requires all state agencies and departments to encourage early consideration, communication, and consultation with Tribes when developing legislation, guidelines, regulations, rules, or policies on matters that affect Tribes and their communities.
In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom issued EO N-15-19 (PDF) , which reaffirmed the previous executive order and added a formal apology to California Native Americans for atrocities committed by the state against Native Americans during early statehood. This marked a major step forward in California's commitment to acknowledge past wrongdoings and build relationships with Tribes. The work to document the historical relationship between California Native Americans and the State as well as to recommend paths forward continues through the California Truth & Healing Council .
To address the housing needs of Native American Tribes, the California Legislature passed Assembly Bill (AB) 1010 in 2019. This requires HCD to meaningfully address tribal access and participation in HCD funding programs by clarifying that tribal entities are eligible for HCD programs, and grants HCD’s Director of Designee the authority to eliminate barriers to access by modifying or waiving HCD program requirements. AB 1010 also established the G. David Singleton California Indian Assistance Program (CIAP) to provide comprehensive technical assistance (TA) to Tribes and Tribally Designated Housing Entities (TDHE's) throughout the funding process.
Additional key legislation includes Assembly Bill 1878 (Garcia, 2024), which further expands AB 1010 authority and impact in several critical ways – primarily through increasing technical assistance requirements, explicitly stating that statutory requirements can be waived, and by creating the Tribal Housing Advisory Committee. The Legislature also passed Senate Bill 1187 (McGuire, 2024), which establishes the Tribal Housing Reconstitution and Resiliency Act and creates the Tribal Housing Grant Program Trust Fund.