In a recent Rosebud tribal council meeting, SWA officials discussed increasing rent on Rosebud’s units, however no council action was taken on the SWA proposal.
Listen to the discussion here https://tinyurl.com/3waedjv3
A brief summary of the discussion was: the current rental rates at Sicangu Wicoti Awayankape (SWA) charges tenants was approved in 2002, rent has not increased since. Some tenants have not paid rent for up to 10 years or more, one delinquency is $30,000 owed in back rent. There are no current rates that are different for over income tenants at 80% to 100% by not charging more rent to those over income tenants, SWA is not in compliance with the Native American Housing Assistance and Self-Determination Act of 1996 (NAHSDA) requirements because of current rental rates.
The higher rent increases being proposed by SWA would be effective January 1, 2026. Rent would increase at least $50 per bedroom for United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) units. The USDA rents are different from the NAHSDA or low rent units. In recent years USDA has urged SWA to increase rents to help bring it bring in more subsidy funding. SWA is currently not charging enough to maximize the subsidy to maintain housing repairs. SWA had difficulty getting USDA to approve recent budgets for the program due to low rent collection amounts USDA monthly rent will increase $50 per bedroom, per unit. For a one bedroom it’s $50 it would increase to $100 a two bedroom is currently $100 it would increase to $200, a 3 bedroom is currently $150 and will increase to $300. The four bedroom is currently $200; it would increase to $400. The 5 bedrooms are now at $250 and they would increase to $500. Also, per regulations if the rent above exceeds 30% of a tenant’s annual monthly income than the tenant’s rent will be calculated at 30% of the annual monthly income. SWA is considering whether to use 30 or 15% as that’s what has been used in the past. Zero income tenants in low rent units will still be at zero rent. SWA currently has 105 tenants paying zero rent.
Currently, SWA is also out of compliance with HUD regulations by under charging over income tenants. The SWA Board of Commissioners has not taken action on the proposal.For more information on rent increases call SWA at 605-747-2203
Sicangu News 
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