For many Pascua Yaqui elders, home is more than a place to live. It is where traditions are passed down, families gather and cultural connections remain strong across generations. That understanding guided the development of Two Yaqui Square, a 45-unit affordable housing community designed specifically for elders. Located on the Pascua Yaqui reservation, southwest of Tucson, Arizona, the development provides safe, affordable housing that allows residents to age in place while remaining close to family, community and culture.

“This is a tremendous blessing to our community, for our elders to live in the same place,” said Rosanna Dominquez, senior center director for the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. “Because it allows the teachings to continue to other generations. It allows our cultural traditions to remain strong. The biggest thing that the elders love is that it’s on the reservation.”

The development was financed through a combination of Low-Income Housing Tax Credit equity investments, funding from the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and housing grants, including a $1 million Affordable Housing Program (AHP) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco provided through member Western Alliance Bank. Leveraging a variety of funding sources and community partnerships, the development helped create homes designed to meet the unique needs of tribal elders.

“While the housing crisis affects communities nationwide, Tribal communities face especially severe and persistent challenges,” said Tom Dapice, senior vice president and community investment officer of FHLBank San Francisco. “Our targeted investments in affordable housing in Tribal areas are essential to expanding access and addressing urgent needs across Arizona, California, and Nevada.” 

Like many communities across the country, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe faces significant housing challenges. Rising housing costs have contributed to overcrowding and housing instability both on and off the reservation.

"What happens outside the reservation impacts us on the reservation as well," said Ricardo Vital, executive director of housing with the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. "We have families that are multi-generational that are living together. We have overcrowding. We have homelessness happening as well, due to the high rise of rents and mortgages."

To help address those challenges, the tribe has pursued a long-term strategy to expand affordable housing opportunities for its members. Two Yaqui Square adds 45 homes for elders and is part of the broader Yaqui Square development, which has created affordable housing opportunities for tribal members through multiple phases.

Every aspect of Two Yaqui Square was designed with elders' needs in mind. The four-story community features oversized balconies, large windows, low-step showers, in-unit washers and dryers, emergency pull cords and space for visiting health care providers.

For residents, the development offers more than housing. It provides comfort, independence and peace of mind.

"I'm ready to retire," said Rosie Matas, an Elder of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe. "So, this is a beautiful place for us to retire."

The result is a community where elders can maintain their independence while remaining close to family, neighbors and the traditions that have shaped Pascua Yaqui culture for generations. For tribal leader Peter Yucupicio, the development reflects a long-held hope for better living conditions and expanded opportunities for tribal members.

"We grew up very, very humble. No running water, no indoor heating, nothing like that."

Providing safe, comfortable housing for elders has long been a community priority for the tribe’s leaders.

"Their wish was to someday have a little home to call their own with a nice, warm place and a nice bed," said Yucupicio. "This helps us realize some of those elders' dreams."

For families across the reservation, developments like Two Yaqui Square help ensure that elders can remain active members of the community while enjoying the dignity and security of a place to call home.

The affordable housing development was made possible through a partnership between the Pascua Yaqui Tribe and Travois, a community development organization that specializes in affordable housing and economic development in Tribal communities. Together, they leveraged the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to attract private investment and expand the Tribe's ability to develop housing at a larger scale. The development also benefited from AHP grants from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco and the Federal Home Loan Bank of Des Moines. The combination of tribal leadership, private investment, AHP grants and tax-credit financing demonstrates how multiple partners can work together to expand housing opportunities and support long-term community development.

The development reflects the tribe's continued commitment to meeting community needs through thoughtful planning, strategic partnerships and investments that create lasting benefits for generations to come. For the elders who call Two Yaqui Square home, it’s a place to rest, a place to belong and a place to remain connected to family, culture and community.

Learn more about FHLBank San Francisco's Affordable Housing Program and how it works to expand access to affordable housing for those who need it most.