Across Arizona, many Tribal communities continue to face housing challenges driven by limited housing supply, overcrowded living conditions and rising housing costs that have made it harder for families to keep up with maintenance on their homes. In response, Red Feather Development Group is helping residents build the skills and resources they need to improve housing conditions for families in the Tribal communities they call home.

Founded in 1995, Red Feather Development Group partners with Indigenous communities to develop lasting housing solutions. The organization serves Navajo communities in Arizona and New Mexico and the Hopi Nation through home repairs, weatherization projects, accessibility improvements, healthy home education and heating and cooling system upgrades.

The organization's work has been supported through a long-standing partnership with Clearinghouse CDFI, which has helped advance housing and community development initiatives in Tribal communities for several years. That collaboration includes more than $1 million in grants awarded by FHLBank San Francisco in partnership with Clearinghouse CDFI since 2021, including three Access to Housing and Economic Assistance for Development (AHEAD) Program grants and a Tribal Nations Program grant to support capacity building for affordable housing development.

For Alexander Torgler, education and community development manager with Red Feather Development Group, the organization's mission is about assisting people with practical building skills that can make a lasting difference.

"The goal is to put the tools for success directly into homeowners' hands," said Torgler, who has worked with Red Feather since December 2023. "When people have access to practical skills, resources and support, they can improve their homes, help their families and contribute to stronger communities."

FHLBank San Francisco program funds awarded to Red Feather Development Group through Clearinghouse CDFI have helped expand the organization's education and community development programs, allowing the organization to reach more Tribal community members with hands-on training focused on home maintenance, repairs and healthy housing practices.

What once consisted of a handful of workshops each year has grown into a robust series of classes covering topics such as weatherization, roofing repairs, financial literacy, contractor certification pathways and women's power tool basics. In 2026, the organization expects to deliver 12 workshops serving an average of nearly three dozen participants at each.

Red Feather's AHEAD-supported programs have engaged 172 workshop participants, distributed Healthy Home Kits and achieved a 96% participant satisfaction rate. The organization reports the impact of that work is enabling homeowners to efficiently take care of minor maintenance issues themselves, allowing more resources to be directed toward larger and more costly repairs.

For Clearinghouse CDFI, those outcomes demonstrate the value of investing in local, community-driven solutions.

"Red Feather Development Group stands out for its commitment to working directly alongside Tribal communities to develop practical, locally driven solutions," said Lisa Van Ella, business development officer with Clearinghouse CDFI. "By combining housing improvements with education and skills training, Red Feather is helping community members address critical housing needs while building long-term capacity that benefits entire communities."

Red Feather plans to continue its efforts to expand access to its programs through digital learning resources and a mobile workshop unit that can bring training directly into Tribal communities, helping more families gain the skills and knowledge needed to maintain safe and healthy homes.

Since launching the AHEAD Program in 2004, FHLBank San Francisco has awarded more than $50 million to support over 1,000 community development projects across Arizona, California and Nevada.

To learn more about the FHLBank San Francisco's AHEAD Program or Tribal Nations Program, visit fhlbsf.com.